Despite being hit by a food contamination controversy affecting sales in previous months, Lucky Me has emerged tops in a survey of fast-moving consumer goods in the country.

According to the survey revealed in an online forum on Tuesday, Lucky Me claimed the most coveted top position in Kantar's ranking of Brands of the Decade in the Philippines.

The Brand Footprint report showed that Lucky Me was bought by almost all Filipino homes at 98.4 percent and was chosen by local shoppers 31 times per year over the past decade, giving it a total of 9.4 billion Consumer Reach Points.

In second place is the coffee brand Nescafé with 7.3 CRP. Other food and beverage brands in the Top 10 listing are Silver Swan (5.4 billion CRP), ranked fourth; Bear Brand (4.9 billion CRP) securing the sixth spot; Milo (4.9 billion CRP) landing on seventh; and Ajinomoto (4.6 billion CRP) making its way to number eight.

The Top 10 list was rounded up by three personal care brands and one lone homecare brand. Detergent brand Surf ranked third, registering 5.6 billion CRP. Meanwhile, Palmolive received 5.2 billion CRP to get the fifth spot, whereas Safeguard (4.2 billion CRP) and Cream Silk (4.1 billion CRP) took the ninth and tenth spots, respectively.

The list, comprising food and beverages as well as personal and home care products, is a result of Kantar's annual analysis of a brand's strength vis-à-vis the choices Filipino shoppers make for their households.

Bea Coronel, Client Manager at Kantar Philippines, explains that the combination of high penetration and frequency are the top two drivers of brand growth.

"In fact, 88 percent of brands in the country have achieved growth this way during the last 10 years. These FMCG brands have been successful in finding more shoppers and reaching them at the right moment to win their households over via their shopping baskets," she said.

Another insight, Coronel adds, is that Filipinos continue to prioritize value for money when choosing FMCG products for their family.

Meanwhile, Nino Nierva, Client Director at Kantar Philippines, said brand growth can be achieved if FMCG companies are able to use different levers to maintain a constant level of penetration amid a growing population, such as in the Philippines.

"FMCG brands should get to know the behavior of their target consumers better, be more present in places where they shop, and communicate effectively with them to create more moments where they can catch their attention. They must also find ways to innovate and address the emerging needs of consumers or offer more categories for them to choose from," Nierva explained.