Learning from Successful Cooperative Store Launches in the Philippines: Effective Strategies for Small Consumer Cooperatives in Establishing and Operating Retail Stores

1. Introduction

The ICA Committee on Consumer Cooperatives Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP Consumer Committee) has continuously promoted knowledge sharing and collaboration among consumer cooperatives across the Asia-Pacific region through various educational and networking initiatives. These efforts aim to strengthen the sustainability and competitiveness of consumer cooperatives by facilitating the exchange of practical experiences, innovative business models, and best practices.

In recent years, many consumer cooperatives have sought to expand member services and generate sustainable revenue through the establishment of community-based retail stores. However, launching and managing retail outlets often involves significant challenges, including capital investment requirements, site selection, operational management, human resource development, and long-term business viability.

To address these challenges and provide practical learning opportunities for cooperative leaders and practitioners, the ICA-AP Consumer Committee proposes to organize a webinar entitled, “Learning from Successful Cooperative Store Launches in the Philippines: Effective Strategies for Small Consumer Cooperatives in Establishing and Operating Retail Stores.”

The webinar will showcase successful experiences of Philippine cooperatives in developing and operating retail stores and provide participants with practical insights that can be adapted and applied within their own local contexts.

2. Purpose

The Webinar is aims to:

• Present successful experiences and best practices in cooperative store development and management in the Philippines
• Enhance participants’ understanding of retail business operations within consumer cooperatives
• Share practical strategies and operational approaches that can support small consumer cooperatives in launching and managing retail outlets
• Strengthen networking and knowledge exchange among cooperative organizations across the Asia-Pacific region
• Assess participants’ interest in future field-learning programs or advanced workshops in the Philippines

3. Objectives

Upon completion of the webinar, participants are expected to:

• Gain a better understanding of cooperative retail store development models in the Philippines
• Identify key considerations in establishing and operating retail stores, including location selection, product assortment, member engagement, and management systems
• Acquire practical knowledge and strategies applicable to small-scale consumer cooperative retail operations
• Exchange experiences with cooperative leaders and practitioners from different countries and explore opportunities for future collaboration
• Obtain information that may support participation in future international learning and cooperation initiatives

4. Activity Plan – Webinar Programme

Date & Time: October 28, 2026 | 14:00 PST | Virtual Platform (Zoom)

[ 14:00 – 14:05 ] Opening and Overview of the Webinar, Introduction of Participants

(ICA-AP Consumer Committee Secretariat)

[ 14:05 – 14:10 ] Welcome Remarks

(Mr. Haruyoshi Amano, Vice-Chairperson, ICA-AP Consumer Committee; International Affair Department Manager, JCCU)

[ 14:10 – 14:30 ] Session 1: Introduction to the “New Gen Store” Concept and Overview of the C&S Brand

(Mr. Dudz Samson, Former CEO, VICTO National)

[ 14:30 – 14:50 ] Session 2: Store Operation Experience

(Ms. Ma. Rowena Obordo-Lazarte, Technical Working Group & Brand Manager, La Castellana I Personnel MPC | C&S Central)

[ 14:50 – 15:00 ] Session 3: Field Staff Interview 1

(Mr. Jun-Mar O. Catam-isan, Credit & Savings and E-Mart Manager, EPSTEMPCO)

[ 15:00 – 15:10 ] Session 4: Field Staff Interview 2

(Ms. Jaya A. Mahidlawon, Bookkeeper, EPSTEMPCO-MART)

[ 15:10 – 15:20 ] Session 5: Field Staff Interview 3

(Mr. Noel S. Arrogante, Sales/Retail/Operations supervisor )

[ 15:20 – 15:50 ] Open Forum, Questions and Answers, and Panel Discussion

(All Speakers; Facilitated with support from ICA-AP Staff)

[ 15:50 – 15:55 ] Regional Director’s Comment

(Mr. Balu Iyer, ICA-AP Regional Director)

[ 15:55 – 16:00 ] Closing Remarks

(Assoc. Prof. Datuk Dr. Abdul Rahman Abdul Razak Shaik, Vice-Chairperson, ICA-AP Consumer Committee; Deputy President, ANGKASA) 

 

 

 

5. Date, Format & Logistics

• Platform: Zoom
• Language: English
• Participation Fee: Free of charge
• Duration: 2 hours
• Registration: Online registration required(registration link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/EG7gA5DGR2e0awfB6bcxGg) After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
• Recording: The webinar will be recorded, and the recording will be made available to registered　participants after the event.

6. Target Participants

The Pre-Event Webinar is open to:

• Members of the ICA-AP Consumer Committee
• Board members, managers, and staff of ICA-AP member cooperatives
• Cooperative practitioners involved in retail business development and operations
• Representatives of cooperative education and research institutions
• National cooperative federations and apex organizations
• Cooperative leaders interested in developing consumer cooperative retail businesses

7. Expected Outcomes

The webinar is expected to:

• Increase participants’ understanding of successful cooperative retail store models in the Philippines
• Facilitate the exchange of experiences and best practices among consumer cooperatives in the Asia-Pacific region
• Promote a deeper understanding of key success factors and challenges associated with small-scale retail operations
• Strengthen regional networking and encourage future cooperation among participating organizations
• Generate interest and assess demand for a potential cooperative learning visit or workshop in the Philippines in 2027

8. Follow-Up Actions

Following the webinar, the ICA-AP Consumer Committee Secretariat will:

• Share the webinar recording and presentation materials with participants
• Conduct a participant feedback survey and assess interest in future learning activities in the Philippines
• Explore the feasibility of organizing a cooperative study visit or workshop in the Philippines
• Facilitate continued communication among participants through appropriate networking channels
• Develop an archive of presentation materials and case studies for future reference

9. Conclusion

The webinar will provide an important platform for consumer cooperatives across the Asia-Pacific region to learn from practical experiences and successful business models in cooperative retail development. By examining real-life cases from the Philippines, participants will gain valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges associated with establishing and managing cooperative retail stores and will be better equipped to apply these lessons within their own organizations.

For any further information or query, reach out to sungjoon.kang@icaap.coop