7-eleven sees boost from inflation-hit consumers
Philippine Seven Corp. (PSC), the exclusive licensor of 7-Eleven stores in the country, said more Filipinos were turning to cheaper, ready-to-eat meals and beverages as inflation continued to pressure household budgets.
Speaking at the Philippine Stock Exchange’s investor day 2026, PSC head of finance and investor relations Lawrence de Leon said the company was seeing “down-trading behavior” among consumers, particularly in food service categories.
“Instead of people going to casual dining restaurants, going to the quick-service restaurants, they’re getting our Crunch Time instead and our ready-to-eat rice meals,” he said.
The trend helped support sales growth despite softer consumer spending caused by elevated oil prices and inflation following the Iran conflict.
De Leon said 7-Eleven continued to post positive same-store sales growth, although tourist-heavy areas, such as Boracay, saw weaker-than-expected sales during the Holy Week break as travelers opted for nearer destinations.
The company said ready-to-eat rice meals, fried chicken and beverages were among the stronger-performing categories as consumers looked for more affordable meal options.
PSC has been aggressively expanding its “Crunch Time” fried chicken business, which is now available in around 3,000 stores. The company aims to increase coverage to 3,500 stores as it addresses supply chain and logistics constraints.
To support the rollout, the company is developing larger “concept stores” with kitchens that can serve nearby branches. De Leon said these stores would help improve food freshness and accelerate expansion.
The company has also partnered with brands, such as Romantic Baboy and Rico’s Lechon, to bring restaurant-style meals into convenience stores, capitalizing on demand for Korean and ready-to-eat food products.
Meanwhile, de Leon said some consumers were also shifting toward cheaper beverage options. He cited growing sales of instant coffee sticks, which partly affected demand for the company’s higher-priced City Cafe products.
Still, PSC said convenience remained its biggest advantage even amid the rise of hard discounters and minimarts.
“One-third of sales come from the walk-in chiller,” de Leon said, noting that customers continued to pay a premium for cold beverages, ready-to-eat meals and 24-hour accessibility.
The company is also pushing digital payment adoption to drive sales, particularly in provincial stores where card and e-wallet payment options were seen attracting new customers and larger purchases.
PSC is targeting 5,000 stores by end-2026.
