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PRA fetes outstanding retailers

The biggest names in the Philippine retail industry recently gathered for the 15th Outstanding Filipino

Retailers and Shopping Centers of the Year Award (OFR). The OFR is an annual event of the Philippine

Retailers Association and the Department of Trade and Industry which seeks to recognize the cream of the

crop in Philippine retailing.

In exclusive rites billed as the Oscars of the retail industry held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Quezon City,

the OFR highlighted the biggest retail achievers of 2011. A total of 16 companies were chosen from close to

100 nominees for their outstanding business practices that epitomized excellence in their business.

Shopwise emerged as the winner in the Full Line Department/Hypermarket category while Robinsons

Supermarket claimed the top spot in the Supermarket category.

This years Category Killer, an award given to large retail stored who dominate a product category, was

Kultura Filipino. ForMe was announced as this years winner in the Fashion Apparel Medium Category while

Artwork won the top plum for the Small category. Making it as finalists in this category were Tomato and

Karimadon.

Res/Toe/Run tops this years Fashion Shoes and Bags Category. Res/Toe/Run competed against finalists

So!Fab and Bratpack.

Maxs Restaurant was adjudged this years winner in the food retailer large category while The Generic

Pharmacy and Egg were the winners in the Specialty Retailer large and small category respectively.

R.O.X or the Recreational Outdoor Extreme, the biggest outdoor sports and recreation hub in Southeast Asia

enters the OFR as winner of the Most Promising Retailer Category.

This year also marks the debut of the Foreign Brand Retailer category in the Awards. This is given to Filipino

retailers who have successfully managed foreign brands in the country. The expansion of the OFR category

reflects the changing landscape of retailing in the country.

It takes determination, courage and a strong business acumen to steer such high-profile brands in our

market given the unique characteristics of the Filipino shopper. Their success employing Filipino talent made

it incumbent for PRA and DTI to honor Filipino retailers leading such businesses, said PRA President

Frederick D. Go.

The first awardees of this category are Watsons from the Hong Kong-based A.S. Watson Group and Krispy

Kreme, originally from North Carolina, USA.

Greenbelt 5 which was announced as the Shopping Center of the Year Medium category) and SM North

Edsa, Shopping Center of the Year Large category winner, were inducted into the Hall of Fame after winning

for two consecutive years.

SM Baguio ties with Greenbelt in the Medium category while Robinsons Ilocos Norte took home the trophy

for the small category.

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Providing a strong competition to SM North EDSA were finalists Shangri-La Mall, SM City Bacoor and SM City

Pampanga while Eastwood Mall was a finalist in the medium category.

The night was also highlighted by the presentation of the 7th Presidents Award the highest distinction

conferred by the PRA. This year, PRA honored Mariano Que, founder of Mercury Drug as Father of Health

and Wellness Retailing. Mr. Que started his conglomerate from a kariton store selling medicines through the

tingi system a novel selling method even at that time. Mr. Que joins other pillars of retail who have

received the prestigious award, including : Mr. Henry Sy, Father of Philippine Retailing; Mr. Fernando

Zobel De Ayala , Pillar of Philippine Retail Development; Mr. Jorge L. Araneta, Pioneer of Retail

Entertainment; Ms. Socorro Cancio Ramos, Matriarch of Philippine Retailing; Mr. John L. Gokongwei,

Jr.,Champion of Retail Entrepreneurship; and Amb. Bienvenido Tantoco Sr., Father of Luxury Retailing.

This years event was made possible through the support of SM Shoemart, Wilcon Builders, the Philippine

Star, BusinessWorld, HBC, Res/Toe/Run, R.O.X., Ayala Malls, Robinsons Malls, Aficionado and Unilever.