MANILA, Philippines — Despite rising costs fueled by the Middle East crisis, Philippine Seven Corp. (PSC), the exclusive licensor of 7-Eleven stores in the country, reports steady sales. Chairman Victor Paterno noted that while some items like hotdogs and siopao have become pricier, demand remains resilient as convenience stores benefit from higher fuel costs prompting shorter trips.
“We haven’t seen a decrease in sales due to the crisis,” Paterno said.
To manage risks, PSC has hedged against rising electricity costs by aggregating power demand across its stores, covering a significant portion of its over 4,500 outlets. The company is also preparing for potential diesel supply constraints that could affect its 600 delivery trucks.
Despite cost pressures, PSC is pushing ahead with expansion plans, targeting over 400 new stores by end-2026. A capital expenditure budget of P4 billion to P5 billion this year supports the rollout, with most new stores already under construction. Paterno emphasized the need to continue, saying, “You just keep going. The only time I put the brakes on was the pandemic.”
As of end-2025, PSC operated 4,491 stores, with 53% company-owned and 47% franchised. The goal: 5,000 stores by end-2026.