Robinsons Retail expands drugstore footprint

MANILA, Philippines — Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (RRHI), the listed retail arm of the Gokongwei Group, has expanded its drugstore footprint amid  growing consumer demand for medicines and other healthcare needs during the  pandemic.

RRHI has expanded in Sta. Cruz, Laguna with the recent opening of the 900th drugstore of Southstar Drug.

The new store opening is part of Southstar Drug’s strategic expansion in Luzon, said Christine Tueres, group general manager of RRHI’s  drugstore segment.

“With the current climate of rising health concerns among our customers, it is especially important for us now to be able to address their needs for reliable and trusted medicines. We are gaining momentum in growing our geographic footprint in line with this goal with even more store openings lined up for 2022,” Tueres said.

RRHI’s drugstore business through Southstar Drug and Rose Pharmacy now have a combined store network of 900 stores in the country.

It acquired Southstar in 2012. The company was established in 1937 as a small business venture in Naga City, Philippines.

In 2020, RRHI also acquired Cebu-based family run pharmacy, Rose Pharmacy Inc. established in 1952 to provide quality and affordable medicines to communities.

Initially, Dairy Farm acquired a 49 percent share in the Cebu-based business in 2015 and in November 2018, Dairy Farm increased its interest in Rose Pharmacy to 100 percent.

Rose Pharmacy has over 300 stores strategically located in Visayas and Mindanao.

RRHI also operates TGP, the country’s largest chain of generic drugstores with more than 2,000 stores nationwide.

Alongside aggressive offline store expansion, Southstar Drug and Rose Pharmacy also operate their own e-commerce sites, southstardrug.com.ph and rosepharmacy.com, respectively.