SL Agritech to expand distribution of premium rice brand

Rice producer and distributor SL Agritech Corporation (SLAC) will expand the distribution network for its Doña Maria premium rice to 50 sales outlets for the Jasponica and Minponica varieties this year, the company said Monday. This will be accomplished in part by opening the brand for franchise, though the new outlets will still be owned by the company. “From our three to four kiosks, we will expand it to 50 by the end year,” said SLAC chairman Henry Lim Bon Liong. The company also wants to expand its customer base by introducing 300-gram sachets of rice which can be sold in its kiosks or in sari-sari stores at the barangay level. These will be less expensive than the brand's current 2-kilogram and 10-kilogram packs. SLAC is also planning to list on the Philippine Stock Exchange to raise P2 billion for expansion. — BM, GMA News