Rustan's

Rustan's is a Philippine chain of upmarket department stores owned by the Rustan Group of Companies (RGOC). Rustan's Department Store is the flagship brand of the Rustan Group of Companies and has five major branches, three boutiques and an online shopping store rustans.com. Rustan's Department Store is considered the Philippines most prestigious retailer, carrying many of the world’s most famous upscale or luxury brands names, among them, Cartier, Mikimoto, Tiffany, Ermenegildo Zegna, Nina Ricci, Alfred Dunhill, Sonia Rykiel, and Estee Lauder. Rustan's was the first in the Philippine retailer to introduce a customer loyalty program, "Frequent Shoppers Plus" and a Wedding Registry.

Rustan's
TypeCorporation
IndustryRetail
FoundedMakati, 1952
FounderBienvenido Tantoco
Gliceria Tantoco
HeadquartersMetro Manila and Cebu, Philippines
ProductsClothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, housewares, children’s wear, toys, supermarket
Number of employees
30,000 (Nationwide) (2009)
ParentRustan Commercial Corporation
Websitewww.rustans.com

The brand was also applied to a chain of supermarkets (Rustan's Supermarkets, 1970-2020) founded by the Rustan Group in 1970 which it owned until 2017.[1]

History

Rustan's Department Store was established in 1952 by spouses, Bienvenido Tantoco, Sr. and Gliceria Rustia Tantoco.[2][3] Rustan’s is a portmanteau of the couple's respective family names. Following a trip by the couple to Europe, Rustan's Department Store began as a set of goods displayed for sale in the couple's living room. Eventually, the Tantocos expanded the business to a small gift shop located in San Marcelino, Manila. In the following decade, it grew into a full-fledged department store.[4]

By the 1960s, Rustan's successfully introduced several international and haute couture brands to the Philippines for the first time including Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior. By 1970, the flagship store opened in Makati and the building became well-known for its blue external tile work for many decades and was sometimes referred to as the "Jewel box." [5] More brands followed including Lacoste, Lanvin, Gucci, and others.

To facilitate this growth, Rustan Marketing Corporation was established in 1964 to introduce brands to the store and also undertake nationwide distribution of renowned brands. Today, this continues with a diversified portfolio of brands within beauty and personal care, apparel, watches, luggage, footwear, accessories, home, and lifestyle products.[6]

By 1973, it opened a second major store in Cubao, and a third in Cebu in 1981. During the 1990s, Rustan's grew to include a large store in upscale Shangri-la Plaza in Mandaluyong and another branch in Ayala Alabang.

In parallel, the Tantoco family's reputation as leading retailers continued to grow as the couple's six children became involved in the daily business. In 1987, Stores Specialists Inc began operations to focus on the Philippine franchises for many of the world’s top brands. The brand portfolio consists of over 100 brands and over 600 stores; brands include Marks & Spencer, TWG Tea, The Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Zara, Tory Burch, and Calvin Klein. SSI is a publicly-listed company in the Philippine Stock Exchange.[7]

Other major businesses within the Rustan Group of Companies (RGOC) include Rustan Coffee which was one of the earliest operators of Starbucks outside the United States, Royal Duty Free Stores, ADORA - a luxury boutique department store, Sta. Elena Golf Course & Estate, and The Rustia-Tantoco Foundation.

The Tantoco couple's six children have been involved in different areas of the business over the years. Today the chairman is eldest daughter Zenaida R. Tantoco, and the president is the eldest grandson Bienvenido V. Tantoco III.[8]

Rustan's Supermarket

Rustan's Supermarkets was established in 1970 by the Rustan Group.[9] In 1998, Shopwise hypermarket was launched under Rustan Supercenters, Inc. (RSI).[10] In 2006, the Rustan's supermarket chain (Rustan Supermarket, Inc.) was consolidated under RSI.[11]

In 2012, the Dairy Farm Group acquired 50% interest in RSI.[12] By 2017, the Dairy Farm Group acquired full ownership of RSI.[13][14]

On March 23, 2018, the Dairy Farm Group sold RSI to Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. (RRHI) through a stock swap. After the sale, the Dairy Farm Group owned 18.25% and 1.75% of RRHI (20.00% in total) through Mulgrave Corporation and GCH Investments respectively.[15][16] At the time of the sale, RSI operated Rustan's Supermarket, Marketplace by Rustan's, Shopwise, Shopwise Express and Wellcome (Philippines).[17]

On April 11, 2018, Zenaida R. Tantoco, chairperson and CEO of the Rustan Group of Companies clarified that the Rustan's trademark and trade name was "never a part of the business transaction between RRHI and Dairy Farm Group, legally or otherwise.” Tantoco stated that Rustan Commercial Corporation (RCC) is the sole owner of the Rustan's trademark and trade name and the use by any third party requires the written consent of RCC. The statement clarified that after the buy-in of the Dairy Farm Group into RSI in 2012, RSI was granted use of the Rustan's trademark and trade name for a "limited period of five years commencing from the year 2012 and was terminated upon our written notice to the Dairy Farm Group on April 3, 2018.”[18][19] The following day, RRHI issued a statement acknowledging the trademark license arrangement between RCC and RSI and should the trademark license of Rustan's be "validly terminated by RCC" such stores would be rebranded with "other premium brand alternatives."[20]

The sale of RSI to RRHI was approved by the Philippine Competition Commission on August 17, 2018[21] and the transaction was completed on November 21, 2018.[22] The rebranding of the Rustan's supermarket chain (Rustan's Supermarket and The Marketplace by Rustan's) to The Marketplace was completed by 2020.

References
  1. "Robinsons Retail Acquires Rustan's Supermarkets, Shopwise in Php18-B Share-Swap Deal". Entrepreneur Philippines. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.
  2. Lee Flores, Wilson (3 April 2011). "Success secrets of Rustan's empire patriarch, Bienvenido Tantoco Sr". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  3. "Rustan' launches online shopping site | BusinessWorld". BusinessWorld. 6 May 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  4. "From Paco to the apex of luxury retail: Rustan's marks 65th year". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 2017-09-16. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  5. OCT 4, Hannah Lazatin |; 2017. "7 Rustan's Milestones That Changed the Country's Retail Industry". Townandcountry.ph. Retrieved 2019-05-01.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. "About Us". Rustans.com. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  7. "About Us". Rustans.com. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  8. Tatler, Philippine. "Tantoco Search Result". Philippine Tatler. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  9. "Who We Are". Rustan's Fresh website. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  10. "About Us". Shopwise website. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  11. "About Rustan". Rustan Super Centers Inc. and Royal Duty free shops Inc. Employee Credit Cooperative website. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  12. Dumlao, Doris (8 May 2012). "Tantocos sell half of Rustan Supercenters' stake". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  13. Mercurio, Richmond (22 June 2015). "Rustan's pursues moderate expansion". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  14. Inside Retail Asia (15 November 2017). "Flat quarter for Dairy Farm sales". Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  15. Dumlao-Abadilla, Doris (23 March 2018). "Gokongwei buying Rustan grocery chain". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  16. "RRHI SEC 17-A 2019" (PDF). robinsonsretailholdings.com.ph. Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  17. Cordero, Ted (23 March 2018). "Robinsons to buy 100% of Rustan's, Shopwise, Wellcome supermarkets". GMA News. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  18. "Rustan's name not part of RRHI deal". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  19. Gonzales, Iris (12 April 2018). "Tantocos nix use of Rustan's brand in Robinsons' takeover". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  20. Villamor-Ilano, Marites (13 April 2018). "Robinsons to re-brand Rustan's grocery chain". SunStar. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  21. "Antitrust body OKs Robinsons Retail's acquisition of Rustan Supercenter shares". ABS-CBN News. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
  22. "Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. completes acquisition of Rustan Supercenters, Inc". Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. December 12, 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
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