The company’s planned capital expenditures in 2016 is a 59 per cent increase from the P3.1 billion it spent in 2015.

Robinsons Retail said expects to reach more than 200 stores in 2016 and would continue to explore merger and acquisition opportunities.

“We have also gotten into a good start this 2016 with solid same-store sales growth for the first two months of the year as we benefited from increased consumer spending from a still robust domestic economy. We will continue with our footprint expansion, with focus on areas outside Metro Manila Looking for potential mergers and acquisition continues to be part of our strategy in growing the business,” said Robina Gokongwei-Pe, Robinsons Retail president and CEO.

Convenience stores and supermarkets will represent a bulk of the planned new stores.

The retail firm currently operates 10 retail formats under six business segments, including department stores, supermarkets, home improvement stores, convenience stores, drug stores and specialty stores. As of end-2015, it was operating 1506 stores with total GFA of 974,000 sqm.

The company entered the coffee shop business with the opening of Costa Coffee shops in several locations in Metro Manila last year.

It also ventured into smaller-format stores like Robinsons Easymart for supermarket and Robinsons Townville for community mall to reach a wider market.