Philippine Seven Corp. is accelerating its nationwide expansion and is on track to hit the 5,000-store milestone this year, with growth in the Visayas and Mindanao driving the company’s next phase of expansion.
The operator of 7-Eleven now has 4,575 stores across the country and still plans to open around 550 new branches this year despite shutting down 14 stores, according to Lawrence M. De Leon, Head of Finance and Investor Relations.
About 30 percent of planned openings are located in the Visayas and Mindanao as the company strengthens its presence outside Metro Manila.
To support the aggressive rollout, Philippine Seven has allocated between P5 billion and P6 billion in capital expenditures for 2026. The budget will fund new store openings, network development, and the remodeling of existing branches, particularly those with renewed lease agreements.
De Leon said the renovations are intended to make stores “fresher and nicer” for customers as competition in the convenience retail space intensifies.
The company also achieved a major milestone in Mindanao after surpassing 500 stores in the region, just a decade after beginning operations there. The expansion reflects growing consumer demand and deeper market penetration in provincial areas.
Luzon outside Metro Manila remains the company’s largest market, accounting for 45 percent of the network with 2,062 stores. Metro Manila has 1,155 stores or 25 percent, while the Visayas and Mindanao account for 759 and 599 stores, respectively.
7-Eleven continues to dominate the sector, operating nearly double the number of stores of nearest rival Alfamart, which has 2,337 branches. Other competitors include Dali, O!Save, Uncle John’s, and Lawson.
