Ministop Philippines

After opening its 250^th store, Ministop pulls all the stops in becoming the fastest growing convenience store chain in the country today. In line with the company’s aggressive stance, Ministop recently introduced a new and attractive business package dubbed the Creative Lease, designed to encourage more prospective business partners to start their own, or add a new store to their existing Ministop operations.

“RCSI is presently in the expansion mode and through the Creative Lease business agreement, we hope to open more Ministop stores while giving our business partners a new option on how they can grow with us,” stated Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc (RCSI) deputy general manager Paul H. Darroca.

Aside from the newly-added Creative Lease, Ministop offers two other leasing options namely, the Standard Lease and the Master Lease packages. Under the Standard Lease agreement, the business partner shoulders land and building rental, and hires a store manager to look after the store’s daily operations.

The Master Lease Package, on the other hand, stipulates that business partners render full time, hands-on work in the store for 10 years (the standard contract duration) preventing them from opening another outlet even if they can already afford a new one. However, RCSI takes care of land and building rental.

Creative Lease combines a number of key characteristics of both the Standard and Master Lease packages. Patterned after an existing model in Japan where the Ministop franchise originated, the Creative Lease is primarily targeted at existing Master Lease business partners who have become successful in their current store operations. To date, most of Ministop outlets operate under the Master Lease business agreement.

The Creative Lease offers more leg room for business partners to increase their productivity. Just like the Standard Lease, it allows business partners to hire a store manager. This way, there is no need for business partners to work full time and they can manage to run multiple outlets at the same time.

The Creative Lease package also makes it easier for RCSI to penetrate the Makati and Ortigas commercial districts. The high cost of rent in these areas often prevents business partners from opening stores in these highly competitive locations. Under Creative Lease, RCSI shoulders the monthly rental expenses, thus, giving potential and existing business partners on Standard Lease the opportunity to break through in these prime commercial districts at a lower cost.

The introduction of the Creative Lease business package hopes to boost the number of Ministop stores in the Philippines while increasing the profitability of RCSI and its business partners. “We are projecting to open 100 stores annually and without these business packages, it can be quite difficult,” Darroca declared.

In addition to the 250 Ministop outlets, 35 stores are now under construction. RCSI is also looking at the possibility opening more provincial outlets, reaching as far as Nueva Ecija, Cabanatuan, Tarlac, Dagupan, Lucena, and perhaps, Baguio. Today, Ministop provincial outlets operate in Batangas, Pampanga and Bataan.

For more information on Ministop business opportunities, interested parties may get in touch with the Ministop Business Group at 637-9956;637-9957; (0922) 878-0628; and (0922) 878-0629 or send us an email at business@ministop.com.ph.

Aims for 300 stores by end ‘09

In its continuing effort to become the leading convenience store chain in the country, Ministop recently opened its 250^th store at the UP-Ayalaland Techno Hub in Quezon City.

Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI) President Johnson Robert Go, Jr. led the opening ceremonies together with other executives of RCSI, Mitsubishi Corporation and Ministop Japan, along with their 250^th Ministop Store Business Partner Mrs. Evelyn San Juan.

The opening of the Ministop store at the Techno Hub the country’s first full-scale, campus-based science and technology park, is a result of the productive partnership between RCSI and the Ayala Group. RCSI first partnered with the Ayala Group when it opened its 200^th Ministop store in The Columns in Makati. The two companies also share the same mission of “providing excellent service to ensure customer satisfaction,” said Go.

As proof of its commitment to serve the community, during its 250^th store launch, Ministop presented its Gift of Goodwill to World Vision Inc., a check amounting to P1.3-million. This is a result of Ministop’s coin bank campaign and in-store brochure display that helped gain more sponsors for World Vision. World Vision is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.

RCSI is aggressively expanding in areas around Luzon. Go said that the company is aiming for a minimum of 300 store openings before end-2009. Go believes that this goal can easily be surpassed, given the rate that their expansion efforts are going.

In spite of the global economic crunch felt even in the Philippines, Go regards the convenience store as a worthwhile investment, because people are willing to pay for convenience in this day and age. “As urbanization is quickly spreading around the country, Pinoy consumers are becoming more sophisticated in their needs,” Go observed.

“I think the convenience store model in the Philippines works because the Filipino’s life has dramatically changed over the last four, five years. It’s more of the 24/7 lifestyle, not only brought about by the BPOs—the call centers—but, in general, people have adapted to a very fast-paced lifestyle. The convenience store addresses that and actually compliments that,” said the RCSI President.

Since opening its first Philippine store in December 2000, Ministop has been steadily working its way towards becoming the leader in the convenience store industry. Today, Ministop continues to expand and serve the Filipino consumer’s need for convenience in and beyond Metro Manila.

It’s raining choco in Ministop as it presents another sweet treat for chocoholics, together with the most loved chocolate brand, Hershey’s.

Hershey’s Chocolate Sundae captures the cool feeling of the rainy season in two enticing variants – Hershey’s Chocolate Sundae Cup and Double Choco Sundae Cup. Enjoy the signature mouthwatering chocolatey goodness of Hershey’s in a smooth serving of a sundae swirl or double up to indulge your chocolate craving.

Give in to the tempting flavor of the rainy season. Head to the Ministop store nearest you and savor this supreme sundae treat for only P15.

Fastest-growing convenience store chain Ministop introduces an exciting and healthy way to chill out.

Chillz, a non-carbonated shake for today’s young, adventurous, and fit generation, is the latest addition to Ministop’s wide variety of fastfood offerings. The refreshing drink makes for a better alternative to carbonated sodas that can have harmful effects when taken excessively. And the cool thing about Chillz is that it’s available at a budget-friendly price.

The thirst-quenching shake comes in two delicious flavors everyone will love. Coffee Bliss captures the essence of a fresh brew to perk you up, while Melon Lush brings the succulent flavor of the tropical fruit to life.

Chill out the healthy way with Chillz, available in all Ministop stores in 12oz and 16oz sizes for only P26 and P32, respectively.

Nothing beats the summer heat quite like your favorite ice cream!

Summer’s officially here and it’s time to enjoy the sunshine, the great outdoors, and that much-deserved vacation. You can love the season even more by dropping by your favorite Ministop store for a half-gallon of your favorite ice cream brand.

Ministop now celebrates Ice Cream Festival 2008, and as part of the cool revelries, the fastest-growing convenience store chain is offering a special treat. Every purchase of a half-gallon of Nestle, Magnolia or Selecta items (1.5L, 1.6L, 1.7L and 1.8L) entitles ice cream lovers to a box of free Ice Cream Cones! Each box contains 18 cones, so you, your family or friends can savor the sweet, cold dessert together.

Beat the summer heat and enjoy this year’s Ice Cream Festival. Visit the nearest Ministop, buy your fave ice cream brand in the half-gallon size, and get those crunchy and cool cones for free. Drop by soon and enjoy one of the scorching summer’s coolest ice cream treats, because the promo period is from March 31 to May 25, 2008 only!

MINISTOP, one of the leading convenience store chains in the country, signed a memorandum of agreement with RACuervo, Inc., a licensed real estate appraiser, broker, and real estate consultant.

Through its partnership with RACuervo, Inc., MINISTOP will be able to acquire more sites for its future stores, particularly in commercial business districts such as Makati and Ortigas. With the acquisition of more prime properties, MINISTOP will be able to offer better business opportunities to all prospective business partners.

Signing a Memorandum of Agreement at the MINISTOP Head Office in Pasig City were Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI) President Johnson Robert Go Jr., RCSI Deputy General Manager Paul Darroca, RACuervo, Inc. President and CEO Ramon Cuervo, and RACuervo, Inc. Head of Research and Consultancy Ronald Agustin.

More business opportunites are in the offing as wider MINISTOP business options will be offered in the coming months.

For inquiries on acquiring a MINISTOP business, contact the MINISTOP Business Development Group at 672-2279, 0922-8780628, 0922-8780629, or e-mail business@MINISTOP.com.ph. You may also visit the MINISTOP website, www.MINISTOP.com.ph

Ministop, the country’s fastest growing convenience store, is gearing up to serve customers in key provincial areas with the opening of Ministop stores in Olongapo, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.

The opening of the stores was partly made possible through the enterprising spirit of Ministop business partners who acquired a Ministop business and eagerly joined the chain of convenience stores backed by the industry expertise of Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI).

“I believe in the brand and in Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. as a partner,” states Oscar Santos, Ministop Subic owner. “With its good track record, I am confident that a Ministop store in the right location will be a success.”

With a trusted name in business to its credit, Ministop is also considered a viable investment because of its full marketing and operations support that even business neophytes such as Wellington Manlangit Jr., owner of Ministop Southwoods in San Pedro, Laguna, find extremely beneficial.

“My first choice was to put up a convenience store of my own,” Manlangit relates, “but due to lack of knowledge in that business, I decided to look for someone who can help me and thought about getting a Ministop business.”

All Ministop stores utilize a powerful, integrated, and automated business system to kick off store operations. Each business partner undergoes an initial one-month training program on the managerial, operational, and accounting standards of Ministop. Business partners are also eligible for assistance in hiring store personnel from RCSI’s Human Resource Division to complete the standard nine-personnel team.

Throughout the duration of the contract agreement, Ministop also provides business partners with full marketing and promotional support in the form of print and radio ads, posters, streamers, coupons, and other point-of-purchase materials for free to attract more customers and ensure  fast movement of products.

Aside from the inviting investment package, what really attracts business partners and customers alike to Ministop is its innovative combo-store format that uniquely mixes the convenience of shopping with in-store prepared fastfood products that can be enjoyed in the store’s clean and comfortable dine-in corner. As La Salle Dasma owner Arlene Pascual puts it, “Ministop really makes shopping more convenient to a lot of people.”

“Ministop revolutionized the convenience store concept. It adapts to the needs of the consumers with both creativity and practicality, and continuously introduces new products to cater to the changing needs of the market,” affirms Santos, whose Ministop Subic holds the distinction of being the first convenience store ever in  the history Olongapo.

As far as products are concerned, Ministop sets high standards of taste and quality for all its products and works to maintain wide product lines to cater to a broad spectrum of customers. In Ministop Subic where there is a sizeable population of Asian investors and residents, Santos says that he is pleased to cater to the tastes of different Asian communities without compromising the needs of Filipino customers.

Location is another important factor to be considered in opening a Ministop business. It can make or break the success of the store. Although business partners may suggest a desired location, RCSI’s Business Development Group takes the initiative in choosing feasible and high traffic sites to ensure profit growth. Ministop La Salle Dasma in Cavite sits in a strategic spot where customers can be spotted 24/7. “We are next to a school and a hospital, and there’s a growing neighborhood in our vicinity,” shares Pascual.

Wide assortment of high-quality products at affordable prices served with excellent customer service – these are the principles upon which every Ministop store is built. From its humble beginnings in Japan, Ministop is making waves in the Philippines as it helps budding entrepreneurs reach their goals while serving more and more satisfied customers in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

For inquiries on acquiring a Ministop business, contact the Ministop Business Development Group at 672-2279, 0922-8780628, 0922-8780629, or e-mail business@ministop.com.ph. You may also visit the Ministop website, www.ministop.com.ph.

Everyone’s a fan of convenience. We live in times when every need, every fancy, every craving must be satisfied in an instant. This is probably one of the reasons why, in the past few years, the country has been witness to the remarkable growth of the 24-hour convenience store chain called Ministop.

To Ministop, the offer of convenience is nothing new. The store chain was conceptualized nearly 30 years ago in Japan as “a store where everybody stops by for a minute” to purchase anything they needed.

Ministop is one of the companies under the AEON Group of Companies, one of Japan’s largest retail groups today. The store proved to be so popular when it opened its first store in Yokohama that in just five short years, there were over a hundred Ministop stores across Japan. In 1990, Ministop established its first overseas store in Seoul, South Korea. To mark the new millennium, AEON Retail Group’s Ministop Company Ltd. Japan partnered with Mitsubishi Corporation and Robinsons Retail Group’s Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI)  to open Ministop in the Philippines.

Home-style warmth and comfort

There’s much more to your favorite Ministop neighborhood store than meets the eye. The ubiquitous but unassuming yellow and blue façade is now practically synonymous with accessibility and convenience. Its logo, in bright and sunny yellow and cool, refreshing blue resembles a house beside a tree. This portrays Ministop as a warm, friendly place where people can relax, conveying “home-style warmth and comfort.”

Applying the “Customers First” principle, Ministop’s customer-focused management gives it a competitive advantage among other convenience stores.

Pioneering the ‘combo-store’

Unknown to many, it was Ministop that pioneered the unique “combo-store” format, successfully combining two of the most common services frequented by modern consumers: the grocery store and the fastfood outlet.

Ministop carries a wide assortment of grocery products plus an exclusive selection of best-selling fastfood products such as soft-serve ice cream, deep-fried chicken, Kariman, dimsum and dumplings, fresh sandwiches, pasta, freshly-baked pastries, and other ready-to-eat meals.

Because Filipinos love food, Ministop continues to develop and introduce a wide variety of unique, fresh, and affordable products that cater to the Pinoy palate, all made available just a few steps away no matter where you are.  This is also why all Ministop stores have comfortable dining facilities, making it a great place to meet and eat, plus fully equipped kitchens, enabling store personnel to prepare freshly-made food products with ease and speed.

The combo-store format quickly became a hit among Ministop’s busy customers in the different countries it operates in, who welcomed the convenience of having a one-stop shop for all their needs.

A viable investment

“There’s a constant demand for Ministop stores. It’s a very viable option for people looking to open their first business, because we provide support in the critical aspects of day-to-day operations,” says RCSI President Johnson Robert Go Jr.

A Ministop business is a shared investment– which means that the business partner is not alone in handling store operations, and is backed by a wide assortment of fast-selling products, state-of-the-art technology, plus full marketing support and the strength of industry leaders.

To date, Ministop continues to be one of the country’s fastest-growing businesses because it attracts average consumers and smart entrepreneurs alike.

For inquiries on acquiring a Ministop business, contact the Ministop Business Development Group at 672-2279, 0922-8780628, 0922-8780629, or e-mail business@ministop.com.ph. You may also visit the Ministop website, www.ministop.com.ph.

Have loads of fun under the sun this summer with Ministop’s Wow sa Tag-Araw Promo! For every minimum P70 single-receipt purchase of any participating products, you stand a chance to win one of several cool prizes to help you beat the heat.

Simply purchase specially marked products in any one of Ministop’s 200 stores within Metro Manila and nearby provinces and  you will be entitled to a raffle entry which could be your ticket to a fantastic prize. Scooters, beach vacations, fitness programs, and sports Gift Certificates are up for grabs! Check it out:

Summer Package 1: Three (3) winners of Sinski SK125 Scooters

Summer Package 2: Three (3) winners of a roundtrip 3 days, 2 nights stay in Boracay

Summer Package 3: Ten (10) winners of 1 month personalized fitness program at Fitness First (with 2 personal training sessions and 3 Nutritional Counseling sessions)

Summer Package 4: Twenty (20) winners of P 2,000 worth of Toby’s Sports Gift Certificates.

With Ministop’s Wow sa Tag-Araw Promo, a fun-filled summer is yours for the taking. Better hurry, this exciting offer is only until April 13, 2008. Rush down to your nearest Ministop store now!

See posters and print ads for more details.

Ministop recently celebrated the opening of its 200^th store at The Columns, Makati and the event’s special guests included some of the children whom Ministop has been supporting through World Vision.

Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc (RCSI) President Johnson Robert Go, Jr. and RCSI Vice President Kino Yoshihara presented a check worth P486,000 to World Vision Publics in Ministry Director Boris Joaquin. This amount will be used for the education of underprivileged children, as well as providing health assistance, value formation programs, and safe drinking water to the children’s communities.

“This cause is something very close to our hearts, as our group has always been a staunch advocate of education, youth development, and uplifting Filipino communities,” said Go.  “We want to do our part to help children maximize their potentials.”

The launch of Ministop The Columns was highlighted by the release of 200 blue and yellow balloons by the World Vision kids in honor of Ministop’s milestone. The celebration continued well into the afternoon, as the kids had a fun-filled time in Robinsons Movieworld at Robinsons Galleria. They were treated to a free showing of Enteng Kabisote 3, plus food and drinks to enjoy while watching the movie.  Goodie bags were given to them right before they went home.

Since mid-2006, Ministop has been working closely with World Vision Philippines to help uplift the lives of less fortunate children through various endeavors including a massive coinbank campaign and brochure display project in all Ministop stores. Those interested to help in a child’s education can pick up a brochure from any Ministop store, or visit www.worldvision.org.ph.