In almost every Philippine neighborhood, there is a sari-sari store: a small, home-based shop selling everything from rice and cooking oil to single sachets of shampoo. There are more than 1.3 million of them across the country, and a 2023 study found that 75% are owned by women.
For more than two decades, supermarket chain Puregold Price Club has built a program around these entrepreneurs. Its "Tindahan ni Aling Puring," named after a fictional store owner, now counts more than one million members.
From 100 store owners to a million
The program began in the early 2000s with informal learning sessions for around 100 store owners, according to a 2013 Inquirer report. By 2013, it had about 230,000 members, more than 93% of them sari-sari store owners. By April 2026, membership had reached about 1.06 million nationwide, with the fastest growth in Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.
Membership is open to sari-sari stores, small eateries known as karinderyas, canteens and other resellers, and offers wholesale-style rewards, free training on finances and product display, and links to microfinance. Today, around 1,000 Puregold account representatives deliver goods directly to member stores, saving owners the cost and time of travel.
A convention for the little guys
The program's most visible event is its annual sari-sari store convention at the World Trade Center in Pasay, where suppliers showcase products and owners attend seminars. The 2010 convention drew a record 35,000 attendees, and the May 2026 edition featured a record 150 brand partners.
"Behind nearly every sari-sari store in the Philippines is Puregold," Puregold president Vincent Co said in 2024. "Our MSMEs, especially sari-sari store owners, are not just customers, they are partners in economic growth."
Going digital
As payments shift online, the program has added digital tools. Through a partnership with GCash, member stores can buy up to ₱5,000 of inventory on credit and earn income by offering cash-in and cash-out services. A co-branded Aling Puring credit card with Home Credit offers a credit line of up to ₱100,000 to help owners manage stock.
Why it matters for women
Sari-sari stores are often a woman's first business. A 2025 study by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies and Packworks found that 78% of women store owners contribute to their household income, 16% are the family breadwinner and 6% are single mothers. Supporting these stores is therefore a direct way to support women's economic independence.
It is also good business. In 2013, sari-sari store owners accounted for up to 40% of Puregold's annual sales. "We are not selfish about our knowledge because as they grow, we grow, too," Vincent Co said at the time. Puregold's experience shows that when a company invests in the small entrepreneurs in its supply chain, social impact and commercial growth can move in the same direction.
