Chinese New Year boost seen for sari-sari stores

TECH STARTUP Packworks said it expects 10% gross merchandise value (GMV) boost for mom-and-pop stores during the Chinese New Year.

“Packworks expects a 10% GMV growth and a 4% increase in transactions for this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations,” it said in a statement on Monday,.

“[This is] as more Filipinos are buying the same product per transaction, particularly during the festive occasion,” it added in an analysis of the segment, also known as sari-sari stores, from which it compiles data via an app.

Packworks said that it saw a steady increase in sales of items linked to abundance and luck, including hopia (red bean pastries), Chinese wine, and Asian noodles, during the occasion for the last three years.

“Hopia, a round pastry of Chinese origin symbolizing togetherness and good fortune, steadily grew sales from 2023 to 2025,” it said, noting that its median GMV rose 25% in 2025.

The Visayas posted strong sales growth, with the Central Visayas rising 240% in sales and 200% in number of transactions last year.

“This popularity reflects the region’s enduring Chinese cultural influence, particularly in the Western and Central Visayas, hubs home to significant Chinese-Filipino communities such as Iloilo, which is home to approximately 14,000 Chinese Filipinos,” it added.

Meanwhile, Chinese wine saw a 36% increase in median GMV last year from 3% in 2023.

“Growth was seen across most regions, with Central Luzon maintaining a consistent 10% sales increase each year, along with the Eastern Visayas, showing steadily rising growth from 72% in 2023, and the highest surge of 107% in 2024, and 115% in 2025,” it added.

Asian noodles also posted a 10% increase in sales last year, rebounding from a 3% decline in 2024.

“Soccsksargen recorded the highest sales in 2025 with a 25% increase, likely driven by a 36% rise in stores selling the product, the highest among all regions,” it said.

Packworks said the Western Visayas saw the largest jump in transactions at 25%, while Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas saw 17% and 9% growth in sales in 2025.

“Our historical data underscores how deeply traditional beliefs and cultural influences are embedded in the Filipino psyche, proving that commerce is inseparable from culture,” said Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel.

“The sales trends show that for the average Filipino, Chinese New Year is not just a holiday but a window for investing in prosperity. These cultural nuances are mirrored in the sari-sari store ecosystem, proving that in our local market, heritage often leads the hand that shops,” he added. — Justine Irish D. Tabile