'Asia's Songbird' Regine Velasquez serenades Watsons' 8,000th store opening in Asia

MANILA, Philippines — "Asia's Songbird" Regine Velasquez set Watsons' 8,000th store opening in Asia on a high note, literally, with a glittery performance of her hit song "On the Wings of Love" at the celebration in SM Mall of Asia yesterday.

The health and beauty brand fuels its growth by opening its 8,000th store in Asia. Located at SM Mall of Asia in Manila, the new store highlights Watsons' unwavering commitment to enhancing O+O (Offline plus Online) customer experience.

“Today, I’m excited to celebrate the opening of Watsons’ 8,000th store in Asia, marking a significant milestone in our global expansion," Dr. Malina Ngai, Group Chief Executive Officer of AS Watson Group, said at her speech for the opening ceremony.

"The Philippines has been selected for this momentous occasion because it’s one of the fastest-rising economies in Asia and a strategic market for AS Watson. This vibrant and highly potential market has a young demographic that increasingly focuses on health and beauty, aligning perfectly with Watsons’ expertise.”

8,000, according to her, "represents a vast network that makes our products and services more accessible to customers everywhere."

"Combined with our O+O model, we are committed to serving the community anywhere, anytime. Each store creates local jobs, customer loyalty and strengthens brand trust. Special thanks to our dedicated team around Asia for making this possible.” Malina added. 

The company began its journey in 1841. Over the years, it has transformed from one small dispensary in Hong Kong to Asia’s leading health and beauty retailer, now operating 8,000 stores in Asia. While the company has evolved with the times, its purpose remains unchanged: to put a smile on our customers’ faces, today and tomorrow. 

The new store is meticulously designed to enhance the shopping experience with a spacious layout and a stylish, contemporary design that meets customers’ diverse needs. Designated zones include a Premium Beauty zone featuring latest trending exclusive brands, advanced skin analyser, and dermatologist-recommended products. Meanwhile, Sustainable Choices zone offers a refill station for selected Naturals by Watsons products, along with a wide array of Clean Beauty products to empower customers in living sustainably.

The store has also introduced more self-checkout counters and Click & Collect services, allowing customers to effortlessly order online and swiftly pick up their purchases in-store within 30 minutes. To create a seamless O+O customer experience, Watsons Philippines introduced an innovative online Health Supplement Advisor that guides customers to find the right product and offers personalised health consultations with pharmacists via live chat. 

Danilo Chiong, Managing Director of Watsons Philippines, expressed excitement about the store opening, “(The company) operates over 1,100 stores in the Philippines, and we’re thrilled that the opening of (our) 8,000th store in Asia is taking place here. This achievement showcases our commitment to providing the best health and beauty products and services, both offline and online. We look forward to continuing to deliver exceptional O+O shopping experience to help our customers look good, do good and feel great.”