Western Visayas, CALABARZON, and Bicol Region were the fastest growing areas that year.
Filipino tech startup Packworks, which has an app ecosystem for sari-sari stores, saw a significant increase in the number of stores transacting on its app from its network of over 300,000 sari-sari stores across various regions in the Philippines during the past year.
Data from Packworks reveals that over 175,000 stores actively transacted through its Sari.PH Pro app in 2024, representing a 32% increase from about 133,000 stores in the previous year.
Region VI (Western Visayas) saw the largest increase in transacting stores, at 62%, followed by Region IV-A (CALABARZON) with 50% and Region V (Bicol Region) with 47%.
Notable growth was also recorded in Region III (Central Luzon) (26%) and Region VII (Central Visayas) (21%).
Significantly the spikes in transactions across regions were recorded from September to December, which aligns with the peak ‘ber’-months season in the Philippines.
On average, there was a 12% increase in transacting stores across the country.
“Our data illustrates the robust growth of sari-sari store activities in the regions. The surge in the number of stores recorded in our app is a testament to the savvy entrepreneurial spirit of these businesses, which are the grassroots foundation of local economies,” said Packworks CEO and founder Bing Tan.
“As they thrive, they create jobs, stimulate the local retail ecosystem, and contribute to the overall economic development of the Philippines,” he added.
While many regions experienced significant growth, Region IV-B (MIMAROPA) saw the most significant decrease in transacting stores, particularly in April and May 2024, the same time when Typhoon Aghon hit the region.
During this period, transacting stores fell to 20% in April and approximately 38% in May.
Packworks co-founder Ibba Bernardo emphasizes the crucial role of access to vital services to support the growth of sari-sari stores in the provinces, especially in areas frequently affected by natural calamities.
He says, “Aside from providing them with business tools, empowering sari-sari stores also means ensuring they have the essential services to remain operational, even during challenging times. Access to reliable Internet connectivity and power is critical for community preparedness and recovery.”
Bernardo continued, “We hope that by sharing this data we can highlight where strategies for growth and support can be focused this 2025, especially with upcoming elections and seasonal climate impact events on the horizon. By strengthening these crucial services, we can help nurture these businesses further, and make them more resilient and sustainable to the communities they serve.”
Covering 96% of the Philippines’ provinces and extending to more than 15,000 barangays, Packworks’ platform now reaches nearly 23% of the estimated 1.3 million sari-sari stores nationwide.
Packworks was launched in 2018 as a solution for multinational companies with only a handful of sari-sari store partners.
Since then, it has rapidly expanded as a B2B platform that enables growth and success throughout all stakeholders in the supply chain ecosystem, from small sari-sari store owners to wholesalers, distributors, and renowned FMCG companies and brands.
Through the Sari.PH Pro app, sari-sari store owners can access pricing tools, inventory management, sales and revenue tracking, and working capital loans.