PUMA Sports Philippines plans to open nine more mono-brand stores before the end of the year, bringing its network to 53 outlets as it expands through a mix of company-owned and partner-operated locations.
“We are at 44 now. Nine to go,” PUMA Sports Philippines Country Manager Paolo Misa told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.
Of the nine stores, three will be company-owned, including a full-price store at Trinoma and two factory outlets in Clark and Turbina. The remaining six will be operated by partners, Mr. Misa said.
The Trinoma branch will be PUMA Philippines’ largest full-price store in the country at 400 square meters (sq.m.), he added.
The company has shifted toward smaller store formats as it expands its network, rather than waiting for larger retail spaces to become available.
“Do you want to wait for the perfect 500-600-sq.m. store? Or do you want to increase footprint and visibility and access to your consumers?” Mr. Misa earlier told BusinessWorld. “So, we chose the latter.”
PUMA Philippines initially pursued larger stores when it entered the Philippine market around 2021 to 2022, but later shifted to smaller formats as competition for retail space intensified, Mr. Misa said.
“What we did realize, and again, because the market is so competitive, you know, when you count all the major players for sports and lifestyle, right? And it was a tough category to get into, especially now,” he said.
Metro Manila remains PUMA Philippines’ biggest market both in terms of store count and business, Mr. Misa said.
“Metro Manila will always be the big chunk,” he said.
Outside Luzon, the company is prioritizing Davao and Iloilo for expansion over the next three years, he said.
PUMA Philippines also sells through multi-brand retail partners alongside its mono-brand stores.
Changes in consumer spending, as well as weather-related disruptions, have recently affected the company’s business, Mr. Misa said.
Brick-and-mortar channels, including mono-brand and multi-brand stores, account for about 60% of PUMA Philippines’ retail sales, he added. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno
PUMA Philippines to open nine more stores by yearend
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