MANILA, Philippines — Before Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. became one of the Philippines’ biggest multi-format retailers, it was, in the words of chairman Robina Gokongwei-Pe, an unlikely contender that not everyone believed would succeed.
Gokongwei-Pe recently drew a parallel between that early experience and her decision to support the University of the Philippines (UP) Fighting Maroons when the basketball team was struggling.
Her message was simple: sometimes, the biggest opportunities are found in people or organizations that others are ready to write off.
“No one wants to support a losing team,” Gokongwei-Pe said, recalling the struggling UP squad.
She then connected that experience to the early days of Robinsons Retail.
When the business began in 1980, it was built from the ground up, starting with a single Robinsons department store. According to Gokongwei-Pe, many suppliers were initially hesitant to work with the fledgling retailer because they were unsure whether the business would succeed.
But a small group of suppliers took a chance.
Those early partnerships helped Robinsons Retail establish the foundation for the business it would eventually become.
From one store to a nationwide retail network
Robinsons Retail was founded by the late entrepreneur John Gokongwei Jr. in 1980. What began as a single department store eventually expanded into a diversified retail group serving Filipino consumers through supermarkets, convenience stores, drugstores, department stores, DIY outlets, consumer electronics, specialty retail and other formats.
The company’s growth has been backed by an expanding physical footprint and a broader mix of businesses.
Its 2024 integrated report showed ₱199.2 billion in net sales and ₱6.4 billion in core net income, with the group ending the year with 2,453 stores plus 2,115 franchised The Generics Pharmacy outlets.
The momentum continued in 2025.
According to Robinsons Retail’s 2025 disclosures, consolidated net sales increased 5.7% to ₱210.4 billion, while core net income climbed 6.3% to about ₱6.8 billion. Operating income rose 7.3% to ₱10.4 billion.
The drugstore business was among the strongest performers, with sales increasing 10.5% to ₱39.6 billion. The food segment remained the group’s largest business, generating ₱125.8 billion in sales during the year.
The “underdog” philosophy
For Gokongwei-Pe, the story is bigger than retail.
Her recollection suggests that backing an organization during its difficult years can create a relationship that lasts long after the organization finds success.
That perspective also helps explain her affinity for the UP Fighting Maroons, whom she supported despite their difficult run at the time.
The comparison is particularly striking because Robinsons Retail itself faced uncertainty in its formative years.
Instead of waiting for the business to become an established success, some suppliers chose to support the company when its future was far less certain.
That willingness to take a calculated risk became part of the company’s growth story.
Robinsons Retail enters a new chapter
The retail group is now entering another major phase.
Robinsons Retail completed its move to private ownership in 2026 after nearly 13 years on the Philippine Stock Exchange. Recent reporting quoted Gokongwei-Pe as saying the company would continue to operate with the discipline of a listed corporation despite becoming private.
A July 2026 PSE disclosure showed that JE Holdings Inc.’s acquisition increased its stake in Robinsons Retail to 67.65%. Together with members of the Gokongwei family and other shareholders, the group controlled 99.69% of the company’s outstanding shares, leaving a public float of only 0.31%.
The delisting represents a significant change in Robinsons Retail’s corporate structure, but it does not erase the larger story of how the company was built.
From a single store and a handful of suppliers willing to take a chance, Robinsons Retail grew into a diversified retail operation with hundreds of billions of pesos in annual sales.
And that may be the lesson behind Gokongwei-Pe’s “underdog” story: the organizations that look small, uncertain or unproven today can become tomorrow’s success stories when the right people are willing to believe in them early.
WWC ONE MEDIA J.M.S
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