Sari-sari stores nationwide recorded a spike in energy drink and iced tea sales in 2024 as Filipinos coped with the hottest year ever recorded, according to tech startup Packworks.
Data from Packworks’ Sari IQ platform, which tracked over 1 million monthly transactions from more than 300,000 stores, showed that sales of PepsiCo’s Sting energy drink hit P34 million in gross merchandise value (GMV), marking an 83% jump from P18 million in 2023. Calabarzon led sales with P7 million in GMV, followed by Cagayan Valley with P6.6 million and Central Luzon with P6.1 million.
Mindanao posted the sharpest sales growth, with BARMM seeing a 1,810% surge, Caraga at 575%, and Northern Mindanao at 554%. Each of these regions recorded more than P650,000 in combined GMV.
Meanwhile, Nestlé’s powdered iced tea brand Nestea also saw strong demand, with a 76% rise in GMV to P30 million, up from P17 million in 2023. Calabarzon topped sales with P5.5 million, followed by Central Visayas with P3.1 million and Ilocos Region with P3 million. Bicol saw the biggest increase at 254%, followed by BARMM (160%) and Western Visayas (138%).
Sales for both products peaked in March 2024, coinciding with the start of the dry season.
“Our data underscore the critical role sari-sari stores play in providing immediate relief and meeting the ongoing demand for essential refreshment, especially during the hotter months,” said Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel.
“As forecasts predict continued warm periods this year, it solidifies the sari-sari stores’ role as a crucial touchpoint for consumers nationwide, especially for regions that are sweltering through warmer conditions,” he added.
According to PAGASA, 2024 was the hottest year in the Philippines since monitoring began in 1951.