Muji offers exclusive drink at newly opened 9th store
THERE is a full range of household items, clothing, stationery, and food to be found at Muji, the Japanese minimalist lifestyle brand that now has nine stores in the Philippines.
Last week, Muji opened its newest branch — its 9th — in Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa, which is also its first in the south part of Metro Manila. Four months ago, it opened its flagship store at Glorietta 3 in Makati.
The Aug. 28 launch saw guests browse through the expansive selection of items. Though not as large as the Makati store, the Alabang branch offers a good variety of lifestyle essentials, along with special services like spare parts replacement, in-house alterations, embroidery, and a coffee counter.
Most notably, the new store has an exclusive drink that can’t be found in any of the other eight branches — the Macadamia Latte, which can be served hot or iced.
“Metro Manila is a very big city. The people here know about trends, fashion, and sustainability,” Takeshi Akiyoshi, president of Muji Philippines, told BusinessWorld at the Alabang branch opening. “We really have to deliver.”
The 1,649-square-meter store has interiors made of local materials like Philippine reclaimed wood. It carries a careful selection of 3,000 items from the 7,000 items offered by the Muji brand.
“The Philippines has no winter. We choose the ASEAN-friendly products, so spring and summer products. Short-sleeved shirts, sleeveless shirts, hats, and water-resistant products — we choose these for the Philippine market,” Mr. Akiyoshi said.
The latest collection of clothing at Muji stores features linen as the main material, which is optimal for tropical climates.
EXPANSION
Muji Philippines’ Marketing Manager Christina Dagdag explained that opening the Alabang store is because they have a big market south of Metro Manila, which includes provinces like Laguna and Batangas.
“We get lots of orders in the south from our online catalog, which is why we’re really looking at more locations in the south,” she said.
Within the next few months, expansion will mainly be within Metro Manila. The 10th and 11th branches are set to open in Greenhills in September and Estancia Mall in October.
Mr. Akiyoshi added that they are still searching for good locations down south, as well as in major cities in the rest of the archipelago, like Cebu and Davao.
“For now, we are concentrating on advancing our brand awareness in Metro Manila,” he said.
THE COFFEE COUNTER
Muji’s Coffee Counter — which opens at 9 a.m. daily regardless of mall hours — is designed for relaxation, work, and study. It offers coffee, tea, and matcha-based beverages as well as sweet and savory breads.
“I recommend our matcha-based products, like our Ichigo Matcha Latte,” said Mr. Akiyoshi, when asked what Filipino customers should order. The drink combines the sweetness of matcha with some milk and a dash of strawberry flavor.
Since the Alabang store offers an exclusive drink, the Macadamia Latte, many guests tried this on opening day. It blends a shot of espresso, milk, and macadamia flavor, and is more refreshing than the usual coffee beverage. (A tip: substituting regular milk with oat milk brings out the rich, roasted notes of the macadamia.)
Dessert lovers can also try the soft serve ice cream, made from Hokkaido Holstein milk from northern Japan.
Muji Philippines Corp. is a joint venture between the SSI Group, Inc. and Japan’s Ryohin Keikaku Co., Ltd.
Aside from the Festival Mall branch in Alabang, Muji has stores at Glorietta 3, Greenbelt 3, and Power Plant Mall in Makati, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong, SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City, SM North EDSA in Quezon City, and Uptown Mall and Central Square in BGC, Taguig. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
