New logistics player ushers wider market for Filipino MSMEs

Global business solutions provider Mail Boxes Etc.-Philippines, one of the world’s largest networks of service centers originating from Italy, officially opened its pilot store on Friday in Adriatico, Malate, Manila, aiming to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) reach a wider market.

In an interview, Mail Boxes Etc. Philippines’ Vice President for Operations, Chermaine Fulgencio, said that as the ‘master licensee,’ they are open for franchise and planning to open two more stores located in Marikina and Greenhills, with three to five additional stores planned for 2026 in other prime cities across Metro Manila.

“Soon, we will be opening outside Metro Manila, like Visayas and Mindanao, in two years. We consider locations where the concentration of MSMEs is greater. For instance, in Marikina, there’s a big opportunity for shoe makers, among other products, because they lack other couriers. Also, in Marikina, they have their innovation hub. We are also targeting online sellers, as the Department of Trade and Industry said, 99.5 percent of businesses in the country are MSMEs,” Fulgencio said.

She added that acquiring the global brand Mail Boxes Etc. took more than a year, as the franchise process involves stringent requirements including rigorous training.

Further, the investment cost was pegged at P8 million.

“Not everyone can go to Mail Boxes Etc. and get a franchise. There is an application process to bring the franchise here in the Philippines. You have to do a market study and present it to their CEO in Italy. And the CBPI Group went through that process, as the management wants their brand to be consistent worldwide,” she explained.

The pilot store represents a comprehensive ecosystem of business support for MSMEs, digital nomads, and professionals in the Philippines, also serving as a trusted one-stop center for logistical and communication needs.

“Mail Boxes Etc. Philippines exists to make business personal,” said its Chairman Norman Fulgencio. “As an all-in-one packaging and shipping solutions provider, we handle the etceteras in people’s lives. Whether that means shipping a package abroad, printing posters for a product launch, or running an online store, we handle it all.”

Founded in 1980, the global logistics firm now operates in over 50 countries with more than 1,800 locations worldwide.

On the other hand, CBPI Group, the parent company of Mail Boxes Etc. Philippines, under the leadership of its chairman, former Postmaster General Norman Fulgencio, offers a wide range of logistics services including international and domestic forwarding, customs brokerage, project logistics, and container leasing, among others.

Mail Boxes Etc. Philippines provides a range of business services, including Pack & Ship, which secures domestic and international shipping through leading courier partners; Private Mailbox Rental, offering a single address in Manila for personal and professional correspondence; E-commerce & Fulfillment, an end-to-end logistics solution for online sellers and small businesses; and Marketing & Print, providing high-quality printing for marketing collateral to help brands stand out from their competitors.