Ministop to open 2 Cebu stores today

CONVENIENCE store chain Ministop will open two stores in Cebu today, the first outside Luzon and the first of 20 branches planned to be set up in the province by the end of 2013.

The stores, to be located in Robinson’s Fuente and on Escario St., will be inaugurated today by company representatives and Cebu City officials.

Aside from a grocery, the 24-hour convenience stores will have the usual amenities and services of other Ministop outlets: high-quality freshly-prepared food with in-house dining, ATM and mobile phone charging stations.

Ministop, which has been operating for 12 years, has more than 300 branches in Luzon, mostly in the central business districts in Metro Manila. It has helped boost entrepreneurship in the country through flexible and affordable business packages that the company has offered with solid support services. It is looking to expand its presence and is targeting more than 400 outlets by the end of 2014.

Ministop is a Japanese brand. The company said that behind the success of its operations in the Philippines is the partnership of the Robinson’s Group, Ministop Japan and Mitsubishi Corp. Japan.

The two new stores in Cebu are both company-owned but the business will soon be offered to entrepreneurs and private investors under its franchising options that follow the “shared investment” principle.

The Cebu operations will be supported by a distribution center to assure freshness and quality of products in the new stores, the company said in a statement.

Among the ready-to-eat products in Ministop stores are fried chicken, Kariman, sundae, hotdog, chillz, floats and rice meals. (PR)