Robinsons Supermarket embraces premium vibe
In the highly competitive retail sector where brands compete for share of time, wallet and loyalty, to change with the times is not an option. It’s a matter of survival.
Simply put, it’s evolve or die.
Robinsons Supermarket Corp., a subsidiary of Gokongwei-led Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., has taken this to heart, thus the massive investment in revitalizing key branches to retain the loyalty of current customers and attract new ones.
The first to sport the new “affordable premium” look and feel is the Robinsons Supermarket at the flagship Robinsons Galleria in the Ortigas Center, Pasig, followed by Robinsons Townville in Nuvali, Laguna.
Among the latest to showcase the store transformation are Robinsons Magnolia in Quezon City and Robinsons Supermarket in Bacolod.
Customers who attended the launch late last month were the first to enjoy the supermarket that is more brightly lit and sporting a more contemporary look with matcha-colored tiles, burgundy accents and a gray backdrop at the enhanced meat and poultry section for better product visibility.
Aside from the look, Ng underscores the changes in the merchandise mix, with added real estate territory given to the wellness category.
The new and improved Robinsons Supermarket now features a dedicated section for specialized products, such as keto-friendly, low-and no-sugar, gluten-free, organic, high-fiber, low-sodium goods.
These are complemented with a bigger assortment of fresh produce and meat, poultry and seafood sections to meet the demand for healthier food choices.
Robinsons Supermarket has also expanded its ready-to-eat section to cater to those willing to pay for convenience of getting the next best thing to home-cooked meals at the store.
“This relaunch is more than a new look—it marks our continued evolution as a brand,” says Robinsons Supermarket Group general manager Kerwin Legarde.
Robinsons Supermarket is set to relaunch several stores and open new stores in 2026.
As of the latest count, there are 157 Robinsons Supermarkets across the country, and plans are for 10 percent to 15 percent of these stores to be elevated.
The cost of upgrading a Robinsons Supermarket is “significant” but the experience from the first two stores makes them believe that they will recoup their investment earlier than expected.
As they had anticipated, customers who came through the doors of the first stores came away with bigger baskets and receipts.
For RRHI CEO Stanley Co, the market response boosts the company’s optimism about growth prospects this year despite the daunting challenges, compounded by the crisis in the Middle East and the resulting spike in oil prices.
“We are cautiously optimistic and our optimism is founded on the things that we are doing, like this [upgrade of Robinsons Supermarket],” says Co, “This is our response to what the customers are looking for.”
