SM Group, Levi’s further strengthen ties

As they see the Philippines as an important market and further imprint their presence here, United States-based apparel company Levi Strauss & Co. (LS&Co.) recently met with the SM Group to discuss continued opportunities in the growing consumer market in the country.

Members of the LS&Co. global leadership team — including Michelle Gass, President and Chief Executive Officer; Chip Bergh, former Chief Executive Officer and current Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors; Harmit Singh, Chief Financial and Growth Officer; Nuholt Huisamen, Managing Director of East Asia Pacific; and Sameer Koul, General Manager for Southeast Asia — toured several Levi’s stores with key members of the SM Group — including Teresita Sy-Coson, Vice Chairperson of SM Investments Corporation (SM Group) and Chairperson of SM Retail, and Harley Sy, Director of SM Investments Corporation and Vice Chairperson of SM Retail.

These included the Levi’s store in SM Mall of Asia, one of the biggest branches in the country, and the Levi’s branch in SM Makati.

Tessie Sy-Coson, vice chairperson of SM Investments Corporation (SM Group) and chairperson of SM Retail is optimistic about the planned expansion of Levi’s® in the Philippines.

“We see a lot of opportunity in further growing the retail portfolio, and part of the growth is cultivating partnerships with leading brands such as Levi’s, which has been at the forefront of sustainable fashion and patronized for its quality and brand leadership,” Sy-Coson said.

It is said that the visit solidified the continued partnership between SM Group and Levi Strauss & Co., as the Levi’s® brand continues to achieve sustained growth within the Philippines.

The market presents great potential for the leading lifestyle apparel brand as it continues to resonate with consumers in the Philippines by delivering a diverse range of apparel that meets the needs and preferences of denim fans in the country.

For Levi’s part, Said Nuholt Huisamen, SVP and Managing Director, East Asia Pacific, Levi Strauss & Co, maintained that the Philippines is an important market for Levi Strauss & Co., and remains a core piece of its international expansion strategy as we double down on our commitment to Asia.

“The Levi’s brand’s presence has deepened in the Philippines thanks to our partnership with key partners like the SM Group, who have strengthened our ability to reach out to our customers. As we continue to establish Levi’s® as a lifestyle apparel brand that delivers a wide range of apparel to meet the needs of our customers in the Philippines, we will continue to work with our partners to expand our footprint in the country and bring these products to them, right where they shop,” he said.

The visit was part of the LS&Co. global leadership team’s tour of its markets in Asia as it continues to reinforce its commitment to the region and explore the potential of growth markets here, including the Philippines.