"Kumprahan Supermerkado" concept cuts the middlemen

CEBU, Philippines - Putting together affordability, convenience and assurance of quality, a group of cooperatives in Cebu and private stakeholders would be formally opening a first of its kind supermarket in Cebu called the “Kumprahan Supermerkado.”

During yesterday’s media launch of the Supermerkado, lead organizers shared the concept behind the idea which is aimed at delivering services and products with the “convenience of a supermarket and the price of the merkado.”

Jonathan Ramos, the chief organizer of Kumprahan Supermerkado explained the difference of their new project which may not only be a first in Cebu but in the country.

Ramos said the products sold in the Supermerkado are fresh coming straight from the importers and the farms. He said that like for meat products, it is directly produced by a group of backyard hog raisers in which they have assured that supplies quality meat that uses only prescribed brands of feed. This also goes for the fish and chicken products as well as the fruits and the vegetables.

“When we buy direct, we help producers, growers, and farmers get better prices and encourage bigger harvests because of assured demand. When we buy direct, we all benefit from the savings that go with it. So when you buy at Kumprahan Supermerkado, the meat and vegetables that you see in your kitchen have traveled the shortest route.”

The Supermerkado “is a tribute to the resourceful homemaker” said Marketworks Asia CEO Gladys Ceniza, who planned with the different groups involved on the concept of the Supermerkado.

Ceniza said that this is an answer for the Filipinos being known with the ability to find the best quality for their money especially with financial constraints due to the economic crisis.

She also shared that aside from the assured quality, Supermerkado goods would also be offering delivery service through the Belivery.com which is their “new way of pangompra.”

Ceniza, who is also the marketing director or Belivery.com said that the online groceries will be available for online shopping where they have price lists and price watch that notifies the customers of the current price of the products in the market.

Orders through their hotlines, with the help of PLDT, would also be available and all paid through credit cards where even those coming from another country could call in and shop for the family who are in Cebu, said Ceniza.

The organizers assured that the prices of the products would remain the same even if it would be for delivery but would require a delivery charge which was explained as practically the same price when riding a cab from the Supermerkado to one’s residence.

“It is in keeping with this spirit of inventiveness that we as service partners are introducing new approaches to shopping, making it even more convenient for the expert shoppers and more suited to their lifestyle,” added Ceniza.

But as the Supermerkado is run by the private stakeholders, around 14 cooperatives in Cebu will be operating the market through the Coopcentrum initiative, which is aimed “to increase the purchasing power of the individual member cooperators.”

Zeny Novabos, the Chair of the Philippines Cooperative Central Fund Federation and a Board of Director of Coopcentrum shared that they are coming up with P20M for their part in the project but is aiming have more cooperatives support the initiative and the support of the stores.

“The Coopcentrum Kumprahan is an answer to the dream of the cooperatives managing their own store. It is a store cooperatives can claim as their own. Best prices can be offered to the member cooperators, directly through the Coopcentrum or indirectly through the cooperative stores.

The Kumprahan Supermerkado will have its grand opening on November 15 but a soft opening on the 29th of October, located in Bridges Town Square in Alang-Alang Mandaue City.

This would be in time for the All Souls and All Saints day where the Supermerkado would be offering Kumprahan prices for flowers and candles together with their Flower Festival.

The Supermerkado offers products ranging from meat, fish, chicken and fruits and vegetables where they also offer organic products in line with the push for the support of organic materials. Ceniza shared that this is also a way to show support for organic producers where they have not only in Cebu but also coming form the neighboring provinces.

Supermerkado, which is opened from 5am to 9pm, also have other services offered like the Shoppers service Desk and Kumpra card.