Ayala partners with Spinneys to bring UAE's premium grocer to the Philippines

In a move that marks its first expansion outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), leading UAE premium supermarket chain Spinneys has entered a strategic partnership with Ayala Corporation to open stores in the Philippines.

The joint venture will launch premium grocery stores across Metro Manila, combining Spinneys’ expertise in high-quality fresh food retail with Ayala’s extensive presence in the property, retail, and logistics sectors.

Owned by the Al Seer Group, Spinneys forms part of a diversified UAE-based conglomerate with business interests spanning food, retail, hospitality, shipyards, and construction across more than 20 countries.

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Sunil Kumar, CEO of Spinneys, said the company sees vast potential in the Philippines’ fast-growing economy and evolving consumer landscape. “The Philippines offers significant long-term growth potential, with strong economic fundamentals, a growing affluent population, and increasing demand for high-quality offerings,” Kumar said.

“Our partnership with Ayala combines their deep local knowledge with our operational expertise, providing a strong foundation to grow. As we enter this next phase, we’re delighted to be bringing our high-quality and fresh offering to a new region that is natural for us to serve as we are proud to employ and cater to many Filipinos in our current market,” he added.

The venture underscores Ayala’s strategy of forging partnerships with world-class brands to expand its consumer ecosystem. It follows the group’s recent collaborations with Thailand’s CP AXTRA to bring Makro stores to the country, Kmart Australia to launch home and lifestyle brand Anko, and BYD to introduce the world’s leading electric vehicle brand to the Philippine market.

Ayala Corporation president and CEO Cezar P. Consing said the partnership highlights both companies’ shared vision of bringing global standards to Filipino consumers. 

“We are honoured to be the first partner of Spinneys as it ventures outside the GCC. We hope this investment will catalyse trade and investment between the Philippines and the GCC. At Ayala, we take pride in partnering with some of the world’s leading companies and working alongside them to bring world-class products and services to the Philippines,” Consing said.

As the country’s oldest business conglomerate, Ayala has been deepening its participation in high-growth sectors such as retail and consumer goods, signalling its commitment to meeting the demands of an increasingly sophisticated and affluent market. The partnership with Spinneys is expected to elevate the local retail landscape by offering Filipino shoppers access to a wider range of premium and fresh international products.

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