A lot of us hoard a cartload of memories of the way Rustan’s Supermarket was back in the 1970s. Remember the supermarket’s forerunner – just a little belly attached to the San Marcelino store of Rustan’s?
So, where were you when the first Rustan’s Department Store-cum-Supermarket complex opened at the fledgling Makati Commercial Center in 1970? Certainly well ahead of its time, it was called a superstore, a term coined by Rico Tantoco, now president of Rustan’s Department Store. Back then, most people did their groceries in hole-in-the-wall, mom-and-pop types of stores.
Remember the TV commercial showing ace comedian Subas Herrero of Champoy fame advertising the concept of a high-end patisserie/candy/deli store?
Sweet Rustan’s moments are made of these. "There were the sugar donuts on a conveyor and the pandesal from Baker’s Kingdom," fondly recalls Crickette Tantoco, who was but a toddler then and is now VP for marketing and merchandising for Shopwise and Rustan’s Supermarkets.
And now, 36 years after it opened its doors in Makati’s pulsating business district, Rustan’s Supermarket is ready for a face-lift (even some women at 36 would probably need one).
"We’re not changing a good thing; we’re retaining the brand and the name," asserts Crickette. "We’re not rebranding; we’re building on a rich 36-year-old heritage and strengthening it. Consumers will still be going back to their old supermarket. It’s just new and improved, and now managed by Shopwise."
To signal that change, there’s a more modern logo and a refreshing new word added to the name Rustan’s Supermarket: Fresh.
Even the most jaded shoppers will be happy to welcome this fresh breeze of change even as changing lifestyles have given rise to new consumer demands, which include quality and affordability (two words you don’t always see in one sentence), simplicity, speed as well as a shopping experience like no other.
Quality service is something that’s synonymous with Rustan’s. It’s something the legion of Rustan’s shoppers has not only come to expect but has grown accustomed to over the decades.
Notes Frances Yu, marketing consultant for Shopwise and Rustan’s Supermarkets, "Right now, people are so time-starved. They want to go into a place and find what they need. They want to efficiently check out and go about their business. Customer service has expanded to include convenience, patience, friendliness, hygiene."
"Yes, we will continue that service, but we’re also moving forward," Crickette assures shoppers.
So, for Rustan’s Supermarkets and the Xpress Lanes all over the metro, it’s on to bigger and better things. "We re-laid out the stores – all 21 of them – so that one, they can carry more products and second, they can be more productive and there’s flow," Crickette tells us. "For example, the Rockwell store looks three times bigger, I kid you not. And the San Antonio store looks 1.5 times bigger while Magallanes is two times bigger because of the new layout. The flow has to be there. Where does the traffic flow? We have this rule: Short to tall, light to dark. There’s really this discipline. Because that’s how you will buy – you buy your fresh first, then your condiments. When you’re buying snacks, you want the beverages to be beside these. Then you buy your baby milk. After that, you buy your diapers, then toilet paper. From there, you start to buy your pang-linis. That’s how it flows. There’s flow even in the way the gondolas are now laid out. It has to be done that way so that even if you don’t have a shopping list, it will automatically prompt you."
"It’s cleaner and better, parang kinula," says Frances.
"For me, the biggest changes would be Magallanes because the layout is totally different, Rockwell, and San Antonio," Crickette elaborates. "If you go there today, you’d think we expanded. Makati has the same size as Rockwell, but the ceiling is low. If you don’t manage the ceiling height, the layout, and the posts, you cut up the place and it looks so much smaller. And there were so many entrances. What we did was we put one big entrance so that when you come in, you have a sense of arrival."
"Customers may not see it, but they will certainly feel it," gushes Frances. "It makes one’s shopping less of a chore and more enjoyable, more pleasurable!"
Indeed, the new Rustan’s Supermarkets have a lot more in store for their loyal patrons. And all that Shopwise’s young, innovative, and forward-looking management team did in only two weeks. Seventeen stores reopened last Nov. 16 while four stores resumed business last Nov. 21, like Shangri-La Edsa, the biggest Rustan’s Supermarket. What would normally take a month’s work, the Shopwise’s dream team did in just two weeks.
No doubt about it, the Shopwise people have outdone themselves and are out to exceed expectations. For one, expect more fresh offerings to signal a fresh start, a renaissance, a new beginning for Rustan’s Supermarket.
Expect to see more "greens" at your favorite supermarket. "Today, all-natural products are not limited to food," says Frances. "There are also all-natural detergents, beauty and body care products, which Rustan’s Supermarkets will have little by little."
Truth is, this green movement has been with us for a long time – and American retailers are green with envy. "We’ve been recycling our bote garapa way ahead of American recycling," says Crickette. "We look for trends abroad when in fact multinational retailers adopt our concepts."
Of course, expect more products on the store shelves. "Rustan’s has 6,000 unique products which you can only find at Rustan’s Supermarkets (like some rare condiments)," Crickette points out. "We’re retaining that and adding some more."
Rustan’s has also retained its fine mix of concessionaires, which varies from store to store, depending on the location. Crickette describes, "We have two to three customer profiles for our stores because they’re spread out: Much higher-end than Shopwise, same as Shopwise, and below Shopwise."
Which means shoppers are getting the best of two worlds: quality at a price they can afford. They’re getting the most out of their hard-earned peso.
More delicious news awaits Rustan’s shoppers. "Yes, we’re bringing back the shawarma, but it will be higher-end and sourced from restaurants like Prince of Jaipur and Kashmir," Crickette reveals future plans. "Every month, we will be introducing something new."
And there are more fresh rewards/promos for Rustan’s shoppers. Says Frances, "Starting Dec. 1, we’re introducing the Fresh Shopping Rewards (FSR), the new loyalty program of the new Rustan’s Supermarkets. Customers can use their FSR at all Rustan’s Supermarkets and Xpress Lanes. Even better, you can use it at all Shopwise branches and Royal Duty Free in Subic so that allows you to earn points faster. Next year, what we’re going to introduce is that everytime you buy fresh food, you get higher points. It’s like a Wise card; you get a voucher and you get invited to special events. In the future, there will be joint promos between Shopwise and Rustan’s Supermarkets."
All Rustan’s Frequent Shoppers Plus (FSP) cardholders are entitled to free membership to the FSR program, as well as bonus points of 1,000 if they apply between Dec. 1, 2006 and Jan. 31, 2007.
To usher in the merriest season of all, Rustan’s Supermarkets’ very popular "Dash for Cash" will resume for a period of one month. And with Christmas just around the proverbial bend, Rustan’s Supermarkets’ popular gift baskets are now ready for pickup. There are assorted gift baskets to suit one’s taste and budget: from as low as P250 to P5,000 for the gourmet baskets.
And of course, there’s the ultimate gift of choice: Rustan’s gift certificates, which are also honored at Shopwise.
Coming soon at the Rustan’s Supermarket and Shopwise branch near you is "A Taste of Asia." Frances tells us more: "Every week, we’re going to feature a different country – Thailand, Singapore or other Asian countries known for their exotic but delicious cuisine. We will hold cooking demos and food tasting. Asian food is the best and we want to show the rich diversity of flavors it offers through our food fests. Whatever the featured food, its ingredients will be available for sale at the supermarket. It’s going to be a gustatory delight!"
Did we mention anything about valet parking?
"Yes, we can do that, too, for stores that have parking problems," goes Crickette’s quick reply. Now that’s great news for lady shoppers!
Surely, Rustan’s adds the "super" to "marketing."