Global convenience store chain brand 7-Eleven’s market domination across the country is well to continue, this time stepping up its expansion game via its landmark entry in Eastern Visayas.

Philippine Seven Corporation (PSC), the exclusive licensor of 7-Eleven in the Philippines, recently awarded its first franchise in the new territory to Julie Anne Yap Gamace, a flight stewardess who just opened the first Eastern Visayas C-store in Ormoc, Leyte.

“I feel honored and very blessed to be the first franchisee in Leyte. I am very excited about the warm acceptance of the Ormocanons. They have been very supportive and I feel overjoyed that they are also happy about 7-Eleven coming to their hometown. This I know opens doors of ideas and opportunities not only for my family but for Ormoc. It is my family’s share of Ormoc’s growth and I hope that by this, Ormocanons will be more open and share more because Ormoc has a lot of potential and just needs a little push,” said Gamace.

According to 7-Eleven Visayas Regional Business Unit Manager Francis Medina, the move to penetrate the Eastern Visayas territory is a challenging yet most welcome opportunity for the group’s continued aggressive expansion efforts. Seeing huge potential in the new location, which consists of three major islands (Leyte, Biliran and Samar) and six flourishing provinces with a consolidated population of more than 4,440,150, the upcoming 7-Eleven stores are seen to cater mostly the residential and commercial areas of the province.

“This year, we are targeting to open 5 stores in the cities of Ormoc, Tacloban and Palo. In 2019, we are planning to push through with Eastern Visayas to align with the 500-store target. As part of our aggressive expansion, we are planning to open additional 26 stores all over Leyte,and Southern Leyte provinces including major cities and municipalities such as Maasin, Baybay, Sogod and Palompon,” he said. Medina also revealed that 7-Eleven Visayas is targeting to open 32 stores in Samar and Biliran provinces including Calbayog, Catbalogan, and Naval in 2020; while it plans to open additional 30 stores in Northern and Eastern Samar including Borongan and Catarman in 2021, all targeting the commercial and residential areas of the province.

In addition to another upcoming outlet in Ormoc City, specifically in Barangay Cogon by first quarter of 2019, Palo will be welcoming two C-stores (one in Barangay Pawing and Palo Poblacion near the Cathedral) and another one soon to open this year in Tacloban along Real Street.

Apart from the two major cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, Medina said PSC is looking to stretch its expansion in the municipalities of Alang-Alang, Carigarra, and Kanangga, as progressive development is seen to spur in the areas. This as the company gradually works its way towards Southern Leyte, Leyte, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Samar.

As of September, PSC operates a total of 340-store network in Visayas, with 199 franchise-owned and 141 corporate-owned, which give a franchise ratio of more than 50%.