From local booths to mainstream retail: Women-led enterprises scale up at Hybrid Trade Fair

The Women Strong Network Hybrid Trade Fair 2026 recently transformed SM Megamall and SM City Cebu into high-visibility launchpads for the country’s most promising women-led enterprises. Organized by WomenBizPH in partnership with SM Supermalls’ SM for MSMEs program, the event showcased how regional delicacies, handcrafted accessories and sustainable fashion are rapidly transitioning from local community projects to mainstream retail success.

Behind the showcased products are founders actively preserving Filipino heritage while driving localized economic growth. The marketplace functioned as a direct bridge between urban shoppers and the artisans redefining regional craftsmanship. Ma. Cecilia Mina of Tinguian Ethnic Art Handloom Woven Products traveled from Apayao to highlight her business model’s evolution. Previously reliant on door-to-door sales, her five-year participation in trade fairs has provided a stable platform to reach a broader market, replacing grueling logistics with centralized customer discovery.

Similarly, Sitti Go Se of Mindanao Pearl International demonstrated the profound community impact of micro, small and medium enterprises. As a third-generation business owner, she employs residents directly from her community in Sulu to harvest pearls and craft jewelry. This localized supply chain ensures every purchase sustains regional livelihoods while introducing authentic, homegrown designs to a wider audience.

The ultimate trajectory for participating businesses is long-term retail integration. The trade fair provided tangible proof that temporary booths serve as highly effective incubators for permanent commercial footprints. Gloria Pantaleon, founder of Gloria’s Delicacies, leveraged early trade fair participation to secure a permanent distribution channel. Today, her regional delicacies are stocked at SM Hypermarket. Corrs Valenton, CEO of Corrsy’s Kitchen, experienced a similar rapid retail scaling, growing from a single modest booth in 2022 to operating permanent kiosks at SM City Fairview and SM City Bicutan.

Building a competitive brand requires an ecosystem of mentorship, market access and strategic partnerships. Department of Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Nylah Rizza Bautista framed women entrepreneurs as essential engines for national economic growth. WomenBizPH president Rosemarie Bosch Ong emphasized that the network’s core mission is to cultivate a community where women navigate market challenges and scale their operations together.

Through the SM for MSMEs initiative, the retail giant offers crucial commercial infrastructure. Royston Cabunag, assistant vice president and head of SM Communities, said the company acts as an active catalyst for brand discovery, helping small enterprises transition from localized obscurity to national visibility.

While the physical events have concluded, the momentum generated continues to yield returns through actionable mentorship, strategic networking and industry benchmarking. The next great Filipino brand is no longer waiting to be discovered — it is already scaling, optimizing and securing its place in the mainstream market.