Filipinos increase adoption of online-to-offline dining solutions: Grab 2023 Report

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• The Grab Food & Grocery Trends 2023 report sheds light on the evolving consumer behavior on delivery apps in the post-pandemic era

• Among the highlights of the report is the growing dependence of Filipinos on delivery apps to discover restaurants and stores.

Grab recently published the Southeast Asia (SEA) Food and Grocery Trends 2023 report, identifying trends and shifts in how consumers are ordering food and groceries online in the post-pandemic era. The report found that while Filipino consumers are ordering more than before, they are increasingly relying on the GrabFood platform for more than just deliveries.

Combining survey insights from Southeast Asian food and grocery delivery users as well as data insights from Grab’s platform, the report found that consumer food journeys are shifting to a blend of online and offline experiences. Amid the resurgence of dine-in culture, 9 out of 10 consumers surveyed said they prefer food and grocery brands with an integrated online-to-offline (O2O) experience. This was demonstrated by solutions like Self Pick-Up and Dine-In, whose contribution to Grab Philippines’ Total Order Volume increased by 3.6x from 2021 to 2023. Furthermore, 94% of Grab users say they read reviews on the app; 60% pre-purchased vouchers online; and more than half placed their orders digitally at tables in restaurants.

“The everyday food journey of Filipino eaters has significantly evolved in the post-pandemic environment. GrabFood now takes on a new role, catering to the demand for a convenient experience that transcends on-demand deliveries. We remain dedicated to innovating solutions that enable our merchant-partners to seamlessly interact with our highly active userbase, enabling them to efficiently adapt to ever-changing consumer behavior,” said Grab Philippines Director for Deliveries Greg Camacho.

Another captivating finding from the report is that a staggering 89% of Filipino Grab users use the app to discover new restaurants and stores they have never tried before. Food delivery apps are now the second most popular way Filipinos are discovering new F&B outlets – ahead of social networks like Instagram, friends and family, and even food blogs.

The report also highlighted the following consumer trends and recommendations for food and mart merchants:

• Filipinos Go Big for Christmas: Filipinos do love the holidays, especially Christmas. The trends report shows that GrabFood orders increase gradually starting as early as two weeks before the beloved celebration. Topping the list of top items ordered are catering sets, whole cakes, bakery and pastries, and frozen yogurt.

• Subscriptions drive more and larger orders: GrabUnlimited subscribers spend 3.1x more per month and order 2.4x more frequently per month compared to non-subscribers.

• Don’t overlook the Merienda opportunity: While lunch may be the most popular time for orders, Merienda orders between 3 to 6pm have the highest basket value, as people tend to order snacks in groups. In fact, 87% of Filipinos said they are likely to snack during this time.

• Growing eco-consciousness: 44% of consumers in the Philippines say they are willing to pay more for sustainable brands, and 96% are more likely to support brands with sustainable practices. As consumers make more eco-conscious choices, brands can get a headstart by reducing packaging, whether by removing extra layers, or opting for natural materials such as banana leaves.

• Savory Food Top List of Most Popular Orders: In 2023, Filipinos enjoyed an array of tantalizing flavors, with burgers, chicken sandwiches, fried chicken, and pasta reigning as the top orders on GrabFood. Nevertheless, sweets continue to attract interest among foodies, with cakes, milk tea, and coffee securing their spots in the top 5 most-searched items.

• Group Orders on the rise with more workers back in the office: Group Orders on Grab were 1.6x higher in the first half of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Most popular at lunchtime and for deliveries to workplaces, merchants can tap into this office lunch crowd by offering bundled deals during this peak time.

Grab continues to find ways to improve merchant discovery on the app and deliver more value to GrabFood and GrabMart users. This includes a revamped Group Order experience with new functionality such as bill-splitting and Dine-In Deals that allow consumers to discover new restaurants and pre-purchase attractive in-store deals.

Camacho adds that the latest trends report is one of the many efforts of Grab to share actionable insights with its merchant-partners in a bid to help them better understand their customers and make data-backed decisions for operations efficiency and consumer satisfaction.

J&T Express Unleashes ‘UnliSaya’ and ‘Super Sulit’ promos in time for the Holiday Season

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Still on the high of its fourth year in the Philippines, express delivery service giant J&T Express unveils the extended period for its latest promos that can be availed by consumers in time for the upcoming 11.11 double-day sale and the holiday season.

Ensuring a more exciting shopping experience, the UnliSaya promo is offered to all J&T Express users–most especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and e-commerce platform users–where they can receive huge savings on shipping fees when they send parcels or check out items via J&T Express.

A free PHP 21 voucher can be claimed once users download the J&T Express Philippines mobile application. In addition, a 5% discount is also exclusive to Pag-IBIG Loyalty Card Plus cardholders when they register on the app–slashing the PHP 60 pouch-based rate to as low as PHP 37.

“We [at J&T Express] consider the growing e-commerce demands as our motivation to improve continuously. Now that the Yuletide season drawing nearer, more and more Filipinos prefer to buy their gifts online to avoid the hassle of long lines when shopping. And as our early Christmas gift to our loyal consumers, these promos are a great help for them to bridge the gap in sending joy to their loved ones in the fastest and safest way possible,” says Zoe Chi, Vice President of J&T Express Philippines.

Furthermore, VIP, door-to-door, and walk-in clients from the Visayas and Mindanao areas can also receive up to 50% shipping discounts when they avail of the Super Sulit promo to any point in the country.

Spanning over 2,000 branches and warehouses nationwide, J&T Express is among the preferred delivery service providers of top e-commerce platforms in the country such as Lazada, Shopee, Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop, among others, for its unbeatable nationwide coverage and advanced high-tech facilities that ensure efficient, hassle-free, and safe delivery of packages.

Customers can avail of J&T Express’ UnliSaya and Super Sulit promos until December 31, 2023.

To learn more about the latest promos and services offered by J&T Express, visit www.jtexpress.ph or follow J&T in its social media accounts on Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

  

J&T Express takes part in new PBA 3x3 season, announces powerhouse roster

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Datu, Hayes, Rono, Sedurifa, and Teng make up the powerhouse J&T Express Basketball team

Express delivery service giant J&T Express Philippines unveiled its official roster of basketball players to compete in the coming season of PBA 3x3 Lakas ng Tatlo. The official announcement was made in a public and media event, the J&T Express Dunk Fest, held last September 6.

Vice President of J&T Express Philippines Zoe Chi said the newly fostered partnership with the Philippine Basketball Association marks an exciting chapter for the company, “We are thrilled that our company's motivation chant, “Laban J&T!” will now be heard not only within the courts of PBA but also in the homes of Filipino basketball fans and far beyond.”

The J&T Express Basketball team is composed of basketball giants Keith Datu, Marvin Hayes, Robin Rono, Joseph Sedurifa, and Jeric Teng. The coaching team will be headed by 3x3 top athlete Coach Ryan Monteclaro.

Part of the highlights of the event was a jersey signing ceremony by the J&T Express Chief Executive Officer Mr. Dean Ding, J&T Express Vice President Ms. Zoe Chi, PBA 3x3 Chairman Mr. Richard Bachmann, and the J&T Express Basketball team.

Chi also shared that the express delivery company’s new venture with PBA was inspired by its employees’ common love for basketball, “to all our hardworking employees— from Manila region, from Urdaneta, Dagupan, Cabuyao, Laguna, Albay, Samar, and all other regions, from our directors, managers, supervisors, call centers, sorters, riders, drivers, HR, legal, procurement, IT, sales and etc.—this is all for you. Apart from our shared dedication to our work, we understand that our love for basketball is what unites us all.”

Last month, J&T Express held its very own Basketball Cup in which different basketball teams organized by J&T regional teams nationwide competed for head to head for the winning title. The title was clinched by the J&T Express Eastern Visayas basketball team. All-star players from the Basketball Cup got the opportunity to play with the J&T Express Basketball team as among the highlights of the Dunk Fest.

The PBA 3x3 Lakas ng Tatlo will kickoff on September 10, 2022 at the Robinsons Antipolo. Game runs and replays will be shown on CIGNAL TV, TV5, One Sports, and the Smart GigaPlay App.

Game highlights, best plays and behind the scenes of the J&T Express Basketball team will also be posted at the official J&T Express Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok accounts.

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About J&T Express Philippines

Founded in August 2015, J&T Express is a rapidly growing international delivery company, with its core business in express services and cross-border logistics. J&T Express is committed to continuously creating integrated quality experiences for its customers globally. J&T Express’ network spans thirteen countries including Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, China, Brazil, the UAE, Saudi Arabia Mexico, and Egypt, and serves over two billion people.

Airspeed’s Future Soars Higher on the Back of Female Power

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Since its establishment in 1985, Airspeed has endeavored to provide the highest quality of logistics services to customers across the globe and aspired to bring forth rewarding, growth-oriented opportunities to its stakeholders. For more than 36 years, Airspeed has strived, invested, innovated, improved, and evolved to become one of the largest, most trusted, and most successful logistics solutions and express courier companies in the Philippines.

Airspeed’s success story is worth telling at this time when the whole world continues to celebrate International Women’s Month. That’s because Airspeed was founded by Rosemarie P. Rafael, a visionary woman who broke stereotypes in a male-dominated corporate world in the 1980s.

As Airspeed’s Chairman and President, Rosemarie established and formed Airspeed to reflect her own values as a woman, a mother, and a leader. Being a true advocate of women, 66% of Airspeed’s senior management team are females.

Mrs. Rafael is proud to say that the women of Airspeed play a big role in elevating the company to its current stature. She explains: 

“They are there when needed and face whatever challenges they encounter. They are fearless -- they step up to the needs of stakeholders with a “can do” attitude. The women of Airspeed are trustworthy, dependable, devoted, relentless and nurturing and that they have a good combination of toughness to withstand the challenges, and a heart to serve our stakeholders.”

Mrs. Rafael recalls her own way of dealing with the challenges she faced in the male-dominated logistics industry by saying “I do not go head-to-head with men and work in such a way that will make them wonder what happened. The men in the industry when I started, underestimated women as it is a norm that men dominate this industry and women are just followers. One has to work doubly hard to be able to prove that they can do it. The ultimate acceptance I received was when I was elected as the first woman president of the Air Cargo Forwarders Association in the 90s.”

Mrs. Rafael has come a long way since then. Just recently, Mrs. Rafael was chosen as the new President of the Women’s Business Council Philippines, Inc. (WomenBizPH). Serving as the platform to discuss women’s issues in business and possible government policies and solutions, WomenBizPH is the lead private sector partner of the government, particularly the Department of Trade and Industry and the Philippine Commission on Women, and represents the Philippines in APEC and ASEAN events.

And there’s no stopping Mrs. Rafael. Despite new challenges brought about by the entry of international companies in the Philippines who have the funding to expand and dominate, Airspeed forges on by being innovative. And as the economy begins its road to economic resurgence, she shares that Airspeed is currently increasing coverage without having to be all over at the same time – and choosing strategic areas where we need to be. We continue to look for better ways to make our operations seamless, building on the foundation that we have established 36 years ago. We are unstoppable.”

It is quite fitting to learn during International Women’s month that the success of a major logistics company like Airspeed stems primarily from the vision, guidance, and leadership of a woman. Mrs. Rafael has shown and proven that in a male-dominated corporate world, a woman can break through traditional norms, gain acceptance, promote change, and achieve so much for the benefit of society as a whole. Rosemarie P. Rafael should serve as an inspiration to every woman or man who wishes to achieve success and make a difference. Airspeed is truly proud to say that its future soars higher on the back of female power.

A Festive Holiday Made Possible by Airspeed’s New Services

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Filipinos love to shop and give gifts for Christmas. Due to health and safety concerns, a lot of people are still apprehensive to leave their homes. This is why many are expected to shop online for Christmas gifts and have these delivered to the homes of their recipients.

During the holiday season where logistics services are sure to be in very high demand, supply and delivery problems are sure to arise. No worries! Airspeed, one of the largest, most trusted, and experienced end-to-end logistics solutions and express courier companies in the country offers new specialized services that will help Filipinos deliver happiness to their loved ones in a convenient and seamless fashion.

Speedgifts

Speedgifts is an online gifting platform offered by Airspeed for all Filipinos, including those overseas, who want to send gifts to their loved ones anywhere in the Philippines. Speedgifts is an easily accessible ordering website that features a wide variety of products and gift ideas that can be ordered by platform users. Orders will be delivered safely and directly to their recipients. Bulk or corporate orders are also accepted, easing the stress of companies in gift-giving to their partners and employees. Sending love through the perfect Christmas gift is as simple as logging on to www.speedgifts.ph.

UnboxMe

For the more discerning segment of online shoppers in the Philippines, Airspeed offers a service called UnboxMe.  UnboxMe is a cross-border delivery platform that allows customers to seamlessly shop on U.S. websites and not to worry on how the goods can be delivered to their Philippine addresses. Airspeed’s UnboxMe users can also choose to consolidate their online purchases for more cost-efficient shipping. Being able to shop from U.S. online stores with UnboxMe assures a worry-free experience this holiday season. Visit www.unboxmeph.com for more details.

Pinaspeed

Airspeed also now offers a new online pick-up and delivery service called Pinaspeed. Initially and currently available only in Manila, Rizal, and Cavite for this holiday season, Pinaspeed makes sending gifts easier and hassle-free. Just sign up for an account and book your shipments faster, cheaper, and safer via www.pinaspeed.com.

At no other time is the feeling of joy and love more demonstrable than during the Christmas Season. Airspeed knows this, that's why it gives Filipino families the most convenient and reliable platforms to search for, buy, and deliver presents to loved ones during the most anticipated celebration of the year.

GCash sole PH e-wallet feted by The Asian Banker TAB International Awards 2021

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GCash has once again solidified its position as the no.1 mobile wallet app in the Philippines as it received two distinctions in the recent The Asian Banker’s Excellence in Retail Financial Services International Awards 2021 (TAB Awards).

This year, GCash is the only e-wallet app in the Philippines that was given accolades by the prestigious awards program.

The award-giving body recognized GCash for having the “Best Financial Inclusion Initiative/Application” for its Social Amelioration Program (Distribution), which was implemented in cooperation with the Philippine Government and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, during the pandemic. Likewise, the mobile wallet app was also awarded the “Best Digital Brand Campaign” for its innovative #FightCOVID19 program aimed at educating various stakeholders on health and safety measures, as well as providing the GCashforGood platform to aid undeserved affected communities nationwide.

“I am truly proud of the entire GCash family and all the men and women behind this trailblazing brand! These awards are a fitting testament to the passion and dedication of all my colleagues as we all work tirelessly towards promoting financial inclusion for all,” said Martha Sazon, GCash President and Chief Executive Officer.

During the awarding ceremony, Winsley Bangit, Chief Customer Officer of GCash, received the recognition during a live online event of The Asian Banker’s Excellence in Retail Financial Services International Awards 2021.

For the last two decades, The Asian Banker has been the industry-defining body in recognizing players that demonstrate exceptional excellence in retail financial services in the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. It is one of the most prestigious and rigorous awards programs for consumer financial services in the world. This year marks its 20th anniversary. Despite the disruption of the COVID-19, the jury received over 490 submissions from more than 280 banks and non-bank retail financial services players in more than 24 markets across the three regions.

To know more about GCash, visit https://www.gcash.com/.