After the lanterns dimmed and the last firecrackers faded, sari-sari store sales data revealed how Filipino households turned Chinese New Year traditions into real purchasing power, driving a surge in demand for items linked to luck, longevity, and prosperity.
Data from Packworks, through its business intelligence platform Sari IQ, shows that products symbolizing abundance — such as hopia, Chinese wine, and Asian noodles — recorded strong sales growth in the weeks surrounding the holiday, underscoring how culture continues to shape everyday consumption in neighborhood retail.
Packworks analyzed over one million monthly transactions across more than 300,000 sari-sari stores nationwide, comparing sales two weeks before and after Chinese New Year from 2023 to 2025. The findings point to consistent demand for culturally symbolic products, even as shopping increasingly shifts toward digital and modern trade channels.
Hopia tops the prosperity list
Hopia, the round pastry associated with good fortune and family unity, saw steady growth across the three-year period. Its median gross merchandise value (GMV) rose by 20% in 2025, from a 14% increase in 2023.
The strongest gains came from the Visayas.
Central Visayas (Region VII) posted a 240% spike in hopia sales and a 200% rise in transactions in 2025. Packworks attributed this to the region’s long-standing Chinese cultural influence, particularly in Western and Central Visayas, hubs home to significant Chinese-Filipino communities such as Iloilo (which is home to approximately 14,000 Chinese-Filipinos).
Chinese wine and noodles follow through
Chinese wine, commonly used for holiday toasts and prosperity rituals, also showed sustained growth. Its median GMV jumped 36% in 2025, up from just 3% in 2023. Central Luzon (Region III) consistently recorded 100% growth each year, while Eastern Visayas posted a steady climb, reaching 115% in 2025.
Asian noodles — traditionally linked to long life — rebounded with a 10% sales increase in 2025 after a slight dip the year before. SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII) recorded the highest sales growth at 25%, driven by a 36% increase in stores carrying the product. Western Visayas logged the largest jump in transactions at 25%, while Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas maintained moderate but stable growth over the three-year period.
“These patterns show that for many Filipinos, Chinese New Year is more than a celebration — it is a moment to make practical expressions of hope and prosperity through everyday purchases,” said Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel. “Our data shows how commerce and culture remain deeply intertwined in sari-sari store behavior.”
The rise of the ‘prosperity basket’
Beyond symbolic food items, Packworks also tracked increased demand for cooking essentials used in holiday meals. Soy sauce sales rose by 9% in 2025, while seasoning granules and MSG grew by 7%. Cooking oil saw about a 13% increase in both sales and transactions.
Sweet items associated with a “sweet” year ahead also gained traction. Chocolate sales rose 36% in 2025, while sugar maintained strong demand following a 47% spike in 2024.
For Packworks Co-founder and Chief Platform Officer Hubert Yap, the trends point to opportunities for brands targeting grassroots retail.
“Our data shows that relevance at the sari-sari level requires more than just wide distribution. Brands that align product availability with cultural moments can unlock demand that modern trade often overlooks,” Yap said.
Fintech insight at the community level
Packworks expects Chinese New Year-related GMV to grow by 10% this year, with transactions rising by 4%, as shoppers increasingly buy multiple symbolic items per visit during festive periods.
The results highlight how fintech-powered analytics are bringing visibility to informal retail, allowing brands, distributors, and policymakers to better understand how culture influences consumption at the community level.
Even after the celebrations end, the data tells a clear story: in the Philippines, tradition continues to move money — one hopia, bottle, and noodle pack at a time.
For more info about Sari IQ and to uncover more in-depth data trends in sari-sari stores, you
may visit http://packworks.io/ or Packworks’ Facebook page to learn more.
