Uni-President Information Philippines Corp. (Uni-PIPC, an affiliate of Taiwan’s Uni-President Enterprises Corp., which is one of the biggest food manufacturing conglomerates in Asia, has committed to invest P100 million to service the information technology requirements of 7-Eleven Philippines.
Anthony Rivera, trade representative and director for Commercial Affairs of the Philippine Trade & Investment Center (PTIC) in Taipei, said in an email interview with Malaya Business Insight on Monday the investment signifies growing interest by Taiwanese companies in the Philippines.
Rivera said Uni-PIPC officially inaugurated its corporate office in Pasig City on May 5, during which the company committed to hire more than 100 employees in its first year of operations in the Philippines.
Uni-PIPC will play a key role in supporting the digital transformation of 7-Eleven operations in the Philippines, he said. The company is committed to upgrading the present technology of 7-Eleven and integrating the convenience stores’ digital network across the Philippines, he added.
The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) said Uni-PIPC was created by the Uni-President Group to spearhead the digital transformation of 7-Eleven stores across Southeast Asia.
Leveraging on its parent company’s operational presence in the operations of 7-Eleven in Taiwan and the Philippines, Uni-PIPC aims to deliver advanced technology solutions to businesses in the region, it added.
Uni-PIPC will support 7-Eleven’s expansion in the Philippines through technological upgrades and systems integration across its 4,130 stores.
Rivera said the presence of Uni-PIPC also marked the unveiling of the Lumina Hub, an innovation space fostering startup growth and cross-border collaboration across Asia.
This platform will nurture startups, provide access to talent and cutting-edge technology, and connect them with investors in Taiwan, MECO said.
Lumina Hub is a partnership between TechShake, Asia’s most active Philippine-based startup ecosystem builder and Uni-PIPC.
Lumina Hub will help expand Uni-PIPC’s reach and facilitate collaborations with leading companies, MECO said.
Taiwanese companies in renewable energy, petrochemicals, electronics, and food manufacturing are interested in establishing a presence in the Philippines, Rivera said.
The companies expressed their intention during a PITC-organized investment mission in Taipei in late April.
“At this stage, there is no specific amount yet identified for potential investments as the participating companies are still in the process of conducting due diligence,” Rivera said.
“Investment decisions will be based on the outcomes of their feasibility studies, particularly on cost assessments and operational requirements,” he added.
The outcome of the mission “reflects a broad interest in strategic and high-value industries,” Rivera said.
“It’s encouraging to see growing interest in (the Philippine) market, and we’re committed to assisting these companies as they explore investment opportunities in the country,” he added.
