Southeast Asia Correspondent
Maria Santos reports on the Philippines, Indonesia and Vietnam, covering grocery, convenience and the rise of social commerce across emerging Southeast Asia. She writes on how Alfamart, Indomaret, SM Retail and Puregold are competing with fast-growing online platforms for the region's young, mobile-first shoppers. Maria began her career in Manila covering FMCG and listed conglomerates, and has since expanded her beat to include TikTok Shop, Shopee and Lazada. Her reporting focuses on informal retail, sari-sari and warung digitisation, and how brands are re-thinking distribution for archipelagic markets. She is a familiar face at retail conferences in Jakarta and Ho Chi Minh City, and regularly speaks on Southeast Asia's consumer story. Maria studied journalism in the Philippines and has reported from more than a dozen provincial markets to understand what actually sells outside capital cities. She is happy to hear from operators, brand founders and investors working across ASEAN grocery, convenience and social commerce.
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Archive
63 stories · Page 1 of 6
Kimberly-Clark, the renowned maker of Kleenex tissues and Huggies diapers, lowered their annual profit and sales projections on Tuesday. This forecasting adjustment comes as a result of continuing challenges related to allegations about the quality of…
After operating as a licensee for 36 years, Yum China is poised to acquire full ownership of Pizza Hut in Mainland China. This substantial move was guided by the company’s impressive second-quarter earnings report, which revealed a 13% year-on-year increase…
Between April and June of this year, Singapore experienced a significant wave of layoffs, with approximately 4,500 workers losing their jobs. This figure represents the highest rate of retrenchment in over five years, showing a 17% increase from the prior…
In the first half of this year, Indonesia witnessed a significant surge in sales of gold bars and coins, amounting to 38.1 tonnes, according to the newly-released statistics. This figure surpasses the combined sales of Thailand and Vietnam, which stood at…
In Vietnam, gasoline and diesel prices soared to their highest levels since May 28 on Thursday afternoon. The popular fuel E10 RON95 rose by 6.6%, reaching VND22,850 (US$0.87) per liter, while Biofuel E5 RON92 experienced an increase of 7.2%, costing…
DC Coffee, a specialty coffee roaster based in Melbourne, has broadened its unique range of offerings at Woolworths by introducing a new 600g variety under the ‘Fuel Your Creativity’ line. DC Coffee’s Growth and Expansion Established in 2004, DC Coffee had an…
Vontobel, a Zurich-based investment manager, has reported a record profit of CHF 216 million for the first six months of 2026. This is an impressive 87 percent increase compared to the same period the previous year. Vontobel’s Financial Performance The…
On Thursday, petrol prices in Vietnam saw a significant hike due to a surge in global fuel prices. The country’s most widely consumed fuel, E10 RON95, experienced a 4.28% price rise, bringing its cost to VND21,430 (US$0.81) per litre. There were similar…
After dropping out of school at 16, Chua Thian Poh embarked on a business venture that would ultimately lead him to become a pioneer in Singapore’s prestigious Sentosa Cove with his company, Ho Bee Land. Today, Sentosa Cove is an exclusive residential…
Sunway Malls, one of Malaysia’s leading shopping center operators, has launched a pioneering artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to transform its locations into the nation’s first “smart malls.” The innovative AI network will work in tandem with…
American fast-food chain Chick-fil-A is set to expand its footprint in Singapore with the inauguration of its second restaurant, located at Millenia Walk, on July 30th. This new establishment forms part of the company’s strategic growth plan following its…
Canadian sportswear label, Lululemon, has announced plans to open its first shop in India during the forthcoming fall season. The inaugural store is slated to be located in DLF Promenade. This move falls under the company’s franchise agreement with Tata CLiQ,…
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