Amway sees robust double-digit growth

Multilevel marketing company Amway expects to post “high double-digit” growth in the Philippines this year and the next amid growing consumption and high economic growth.

“It will be upwards of 10 percent,” Amway Philippines country manager Leni Olmedo told reporters.

She said the company used to chalk up 8 to 9 percent growth annually.

Driving the growth are surging demands for healthcare, skincare, and homecare products. Olmedo said healthcare is a P14-billion industry in the Philippines while skincare and cosmetics constitute a P25-billion sector. Homecare is much larger at P55 billion.

Amway has more than 60,000 active distributors nationwide and this is presently growing at a rate of 27 percent, she said.

Six centers service active Amway distributors, with Metro Manila supporting about 60 percent of members. There are also service centers in Urdaneta City and Cebu, as well as Cagayan de Oro City and Davao.

Olmedo said that Amway is promoting direct selling as one way in which business-minded Filipinos can participate in the growing economy.

“Two of our strongest brands in the Philippines are Nutrilite and Artistry,” said Dulce Ricafort, marketing manager of Amway Philippines.

Aside from homecare, healthcare and skincare products, Amway is also launching new lines such as coffee and chocolate mixes, a new cosmetics line, as well as a fragrance line.

Olmedo said the company has tied up with coffee franchise Figaro to develop products, such as instant coffee and chocolate “tableas” to serve growing local demand.

“Coffee happens to be a good industry. We’ll open doors to a lot of people. As we grow, that’s how much we will grow our coffee business,” Olmedo said.