IN BUSINESS, or perhaps in any other field, thinking ahead of everyone is an absolute advantage. It's only fitting that we think outside the box and visualize things that have yet to happen. Innovation is but a vital step in success, in business or wherever.
Two years before coronavirus disease (Covid-19) made popular distant grocery shopping, Genelin Ruth P. James and business partner Engr. Allan Muhammad Ali Lachica had already seen the looming demand it will have in Davao City.
Lachica and James were college friends who haven't seen each other for 20 years and were only reunited by this very business plan.
"He offered to partner with me to start an online grocery in Davao as he started one in Calapatan, Mindoro. I immediately contacted three supermarkets in Davao City but NCCC Supermarket was quick enough to strike an exclusive deal with us in just three days," recalled James.
She added their business vision really was to create an online neighborhood grocer. When they started in April 2018, they were catering to about 10 riders a day on average. But when the city was put under community quarantine and people were only allowed to go out for essential errands such as grocery shopping, more and more people opted for online means.
Lachica and James' founding of the Small Basket online grocery shopping did not only rekindle a friendship from 20 years ago, it also answered a consumer demand that quickly surged here in Davao City. To order, customers do their transaction through the mobile app or through the website. Once their orders are confirmed, the riders will deliver their grocery items to their doorstep. Not only does the app cater to supermarket needs but also to pharmacy, hardware, and department needs.
Payments can conveniently be made through KaPartner Card of NCCC, Cash on Delivery, Credit/Debit Card, and Bank Transfer.
Two years ago, not all Dabawenyos are familiar yet with this concept. However, James and Lachica took the risk and introduced a brand-new concept to everyone, which they didn't know would eventually become a need amid a virus threat.
Many online grocery delivery businesses have since surfaced in Davao City when the consumers' need for it became more and more apparent.
While there are challenges that come with the business, James and Lachica found it earlier than most did and with that they were able to brace themselves earlier for what comes ahead.