San Miguel distribution volume grows by 10% yearly
by Prix D Banzon
Davao City (13 October) -- Distribution of San Miguel products in Mindanao keeps on growing at about ten percent as early at the start of the fourth quarter this year.
Romeo Mabanglo, SMC trade channel manager in Mindanao in an interview said this year is better than last year.
"As always each year is a better year with the volume of distribution keep on growing and pegged at the rate of ten percent," he said.
He said the demand continuous to grow in the supermarkets as well as upscale outlets like hotels even as he said that the demand is high towards the last three months of the year.
"Primarily for the beer because of the Oktoberfest where consumption is high", he said.
Octoberfest in the Philippines started in September 29 to coincide with the Feast of San Miguel which is the franchise event of SMC with pale pilsen as the lead product.
Patterned after Germany's Oktoberfest, Mabanglo said it is a celebration of good harvest.
The fest is one strategy that SMC holds yearly and venues of major events within October rotates in the different key areas.
In Davao City today, October 13 the celebration of Oktoberfest will be held in partnership with the Waterfront Insular Hotel. It is a combination of Rock Music, Foam Party, DJ mixing and Eat and Drink all You Can Party.
Davao's finest music artists will spice up the evening and opening act for Philippine's Premiere Rock Band "The Dawn".
The Dawn has done several shows and concerts including an eight city US Tour in September 2001. The group also produced several albums and the quartet's much awaited 20th year album is finally out in the market. A grand album together with a music video launched for "Ang Iyong Paalam" and an advance commercial screening of their movie is slated on the second week of November 2006.
The group also starred in a semi-autobiographical movie "TULAD NG DATI", a Cinemalaya 2006 entry that bagged the Best Sound, Best Editing and the Best Picture awards. The same movie is also one of the country's entries in the forthcoming Pusan International Film Festival and in the Hawaii International Film Festival.
Mabanglo said events like the Oktoberbest is important to increase volume of sale.
"We need to have gimmicks and it is effective especially in upscale outlets where people come to dine, unwind and relax," he said. (PIA XI) [top]