‘Sari-sari’ stores see brisk energy drink, iced tea sales
Sari-sari stores across the country recorded a surge in sales of energy drinks and iced tea in 2024 as Filipinos coped with the hottest year on record, data from tech startup Packworks show.
The company’s Sari IQ business intelligence platform, which tracked over 1 million monthly transactions from more than 300,000 sari-sari stores nationwide, shows that sales of energy drink brand Sting of PepsiCo hit P34 million in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2024. This is equivalent to an 83-percent growth from the P18 million GMV in 2023.
Sales of the energy drink brand showed strong performance, with Calabarzon leading the way with P7 million in GMV, followed by Cagayan Valley with P6.6 million and Central Luzon with P6.1 million.
Mindanao saw the most significant sales growth, with the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) recording a 1,810-percent increase, followed by Caraga at 575 percent and Northern Mindanao at 554 percent.
Each of these regions surpassed P650,000 in combined GMV, according to Packworks.
Meanwhile, Nestlé’s powdered iced tea brand Nestea saw a 76-percent spike in sales, with GMV rising to P30 million from P17 million the previous year.
Nestea saw a significant 76-percent spike in sales, recording P30 million in GMV compared with P17 million in 2023.
The top regions with the highest sales in terms of GMV include Calabarzon with P5.5 million, Central Visayas with P3.1 million and Ilocos Region with P3 million.
Meanwhile, Bicol saw the highest sales increase at 254 percent, followed by BARMM at 160 percent and Western Visayas at 138 percent.
Packworks says both products saw sales peak in March 2024, with the onset of the dry season.
“Our data underscore the critical role sari-sari stores play in providing immediate relief and meeting the ongoing demand for essential refreshment, especially during the hotter months,” Packworks chief data officer Andoy Montiel says.
“As forecasts predict continued warm periods this year, it solidifies the sari-sari stores’ role as a crucial touchpoint for consumers nationwide, especially for regions that are sweltering through warmer conditions,” he adds.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, 2024 was the hottest year on record in the country since monitoring began in 1951.
