Amway continues to expand in RP

MANILA, Philippines - Amway Philippines opened recently a new distribution center in a continuing effort to expand the company’s coverage of the local market despite the ongoing crisis. Located at the Sun Plaza along Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong City, the new Amway Distribution Center (ADC) is the company’s eighth in the country.

Amway Philippines country manager Ador Bonquin said they plan to open three more such centers in the next couple of years or so. This is to accommodate a fast-expanding Amway market in the Philippines which has grown by 20 percent so far this year on top of a 30-percent expansion last year.

“Our sales have been expanding by more than 20 percent over the last five years and we expect sales to post another double-digit growth this year,” said Bonquin who spoke highly of agriculture line to add to the company‘s well established line of healthcare products.

Amway’s agricultural line includes a soil conditioner and a fast-rising organic fertilizer called Nutriplant AG which is of the foliar type. The agriculture line currently accounts for 18 percent of the company’s mix of products sold in the Philippines, but Bonquin sees this growing to around 25 percent owing to the growing popularity of Nutriplant AG.

With eight ADCs and over 40,000 independent business owners (IBOs) nationwide, Amway Philippines maintains its position as one of the leading direct-selling companies in the country. Amway calls its sales recruits IBOs and they have more than 40,000 right now. Bonquin said they expect this number to grow by about 20 percent yearly.

Bonquin noted that in the wake of the global economic crisis, the Amway business offers additional income opportunities to Filipinos. It allows employed individuals to have additional earnings and provides alternative income opportunities to those who have been affected by corporate retrenchment and those who can’t find a job due to limited job opportunities, he added.

Based in Michigan, USA, Amway established its local unit in 1997. It now offers more than 100 products led by its flagship brands Nutrilite – which Amway says is the only global vitamin and mineral brand to grow, harvest and process plants on its own certified organic farm – and Artistry, one of the top five prestige brands of beauty products in the world.