Sari-sari stores are the heart of the Filipino neighborhoods, offering a wide variety of consumer goods for the local community. Almost everyone in the local neighborhood rely on these corner stores for easy and fast access to daily essentials, may it be food, hygiene item, or household need. Because of the diverse needs of the people in the local community, it is important for these sari-sari stores to have a huge array of products they can sell.

If you're looking to establish or enhance your sari-sari store, here are 10 must-have items that cater to the diverse needs of your customers:

1. Rice and Staple Foods

Keep your shelves stocked with various rice varieties, cooking oil, and other essential pantry staples. This ensures that your customers can easily pick up what they need for their daily meals.

It is suggested that when selling such items that you are able to monitor and track your sales and inventory. Peddlr App offers a free and offline mobile point-of-sale (POS) for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that sari-sari stores can easily use as well. It has a sales tracker function to help in tracking customers orders, and inventory feature to record and remind about stock levels real time.

2. Local Snacks and Treats

Embrace the Filipino love for sweets and snacks! Offer a variety of local favorites, from classic candies and chips to unique and new treats that bring a taste of fun to customers of all ages. A few branded yet cheap goods you may sell are those from: Jack ‘n Jill, Nissin, and Rebisco.

Snacks to include in your store:

• Chocolates and candies
• Biscuits and cookies
• Nuts and seeds
• Chips and crackers
• Ready-to-eat cakes and pastries
• Instant noodles

3. Mobile Load and Accessories

Keep everyone connected by offering mobile load services. With Peddlr App, you can now sell mobile load, game pins, and bills payment services with just one mobile phone. Enjoy the ease of earning extra income even without the internet because with Peddlr’s Sell E-load feature, you can send all these digital products offline.

Available Digital Products to sell via Peddlr App:

• Eload from different networks: Smart, Globe, Talk n Text, DITO, TM
• Cables: GSat, SATLITE, Cignal
• Game Pins: Mobile Legends, Razer Gold, Valorant, Tinder, etc.
• Bills Payment: Utilities (Water and Electricity), Memorial Plan, Insurance, Airlines, Credit Cards

Stocking on basic phone accessories such as sim cards, and affordable chargers and earphones may also be beneficial for those in need of quick replacements.

4. Hygiene and Personal Care Products

Cover the basics by providing soap, toothpaste, shampoo, and other personal care essentials. These items are everyday necessities that your customers will appreciate having close at hand. Brands from major companies like Unilever and P&G are the products you may opt to sell.

5. Beverages 

Keep the drinks flowing with a mix of popular beverages, including bottled water, soft drinks, and local juices. Don't forget to include coffee and tea options for those who need a caffeine fix. Coca-cola and Nestle are the top brands in terms of ready-to-drink and powdered refreshments.

Take advantage of the Philippine’s hot and humid weather by selling thirst-quenching items such as ice candies of different flavors, “palamig” or homemade juice, jelly products, ice cream, halo-halo and mais con yelo.

6. Cigarettes and Tobacco

Recognize the needs of your community by offering a selection of cigarettes and tobacco products. This is a staple for many customers who rely on the convenience of their local sari-sari store. Marlboro and Camel are just some of the most-sought cigarette brand in the Philippines this 2024.

7. School and Office Supplies

Cater to students and professionals by stocking basic school and office supplies. Notebooks, pens, art materials, and other essentials make your sari-sari store a go-to spot for last-minute needs. Here’s a list of other school and office supplies you can sell in your store:

• Writing Tools: pencils, erasers, sharpeners, correction fluid or tape
• Measurement Tools: rulers, protractors, compasses
• Cutting and Adhesive Tools: scissors, glue sticks, staplers and staples, tape (scotch tape, masking tape), fasteners
• Paper Tools: paper clips, binder clips, rubber bands, envelopes, folders, index cards, post-it notes
• Other school and office materials: calculators, whiteboard markers, clipboards

8. Condiments and Sauces

Spice up your inventory with a range of condiments and sauces. From soy sauce and vinegar to hot sauces and ketchup, these items add flavor to your customers' meals. Brands like Knorr and NutriAsia are the usual sources or manufacturers of daily condiments and sauces.

9. Local Fresh Produce

Create a mini-market within your store by offering fresh fruits and vegetables. This brings a touch of freshness to your sari-sari store and caters to health-conscious customers.

• Fruits: Bananas, Papaya, Calamansi, Tomatoes, Mangoes, Pineapples
• Vegetables: Eggplant, String Beans (Sitaw), Sayote, Cabbage, Squash (Kalabasa), Sweet Potatoes (Kamote), Green Leafy Vegetables (e.g., Kangkong, Malunggay)
• Dairy Products: Butter, Yogurt, Condensed Milk, Evaporated Milk, Eggs
• Meat Products: Chicken (Whole or Cut-up), Pork, Beef, Hotdogs, Tocino, Longganisa (Filipino Sausage), Corned Beef, Fish (Depending on Availability, e.g., Tuna, Bangus)

10. Household Cleaning Supplies

Make cleaning a breeze for your customers by providing basic household cleaning items. This includes detergents, brooms, and other essentials for maintaining a tidy home. Check out these items that you can sell:

• Laundry care items like detergent, fabric conditioner, fragrance beads, and multipurpose bleach items
• Cleaning tools such as broom, rugs, tissue paper, toilet paper, mops, dust pans
• Dishwashing liquid and dishwashing paste
• Cleaning agents, disinfectant spray, concentrated cleaner, air freshener

Wrapping Up 

By adding these essential items to your sari-sari store, you're not just meeting the needs of the neighborhood but making your shop the go-to place for everyday stuff. From different kinds of rice to local snacks and personal care items, your store becomes a reliable spot where people can find what they need. It's not just about being a store; it's about being the friendly spot that helps everyone in the community. So, stock up on these things, and you'll see your sari-sari store become the heart of the neighborhood, providing a simple and easy solution for everyone's daily essentials.

What is Peddlr? 

Peddlr is a POS mobile application for all business owners – sari-sari stores, milk tea stands, coffee shops, Shopee and Lazada sellers and more. It's free to download, free to use, and works even without an internet connection. With Peddlr, you can easily manage and track your business performance and inventory. 

Here are some of the useful features that you can access through the Peddlr app: 

• FREE Point-of-sale system (POS) or a mobile cashier system 

• FREE Credit Reminder – send SMS to your customers for free to collect credit/debts easily 

• FREE Inventory Manager/Tracker - take control of your product inventory 

• Loading and Bills Payment Services – enjoy rebates and cashback