Manila, Philippines — UAE-based premium supermarket chain Spinneys has entered into a strategic partnership with Ayala Corporation to open stores in the Philippines, marking Spinneys’ first expansion outside the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region.
The partnership aims to establish premium grocery outlets in Metro Manila, combining Ayala’s experience in property, retail, and logistics with Spinneys’ operational expertise and brand strength in fresh food retail. The partnership also follows a series of international collaborations by Ayala Corporation.
Sunil Kumar, chief executive officer at Spinneys, shared his insight on employing and catering to many Filipinos.
“The Philippines offers significant long-term growth potential, with strong economic fundamentals, a growing affluent population, and increasing demand for high-quality offerings. Our partnership with Ayala combines their deep local knowledge with our operational expertise, providing a strong foundation to grow,” added Sunil.
Moreover, Ayala Corporation president and CEO Cezar P. Consing added, “We are honoured to be the first partner of Spinneys as it ventures outside the GCC. We hope this investment will catalyse trade and investment between the Philippines and the GCC. At Ayala, we take pride in partnering with some of the world’s leading companies and working alongside them to bring world-class products and services to the Philippines.”
The partnership is also expected to further strengthen economic ties between the Philippines and the Gulf region, while diversifying Ayala’s portfolio in the retail sector.
Earlier in 2025, Ayala announced its partnership with Thailand’s CP AXTRA to open Makro stores in the Philippines and had previously collaborated with Kmart Australia Ltd. to bring home and lifestyle brand Anko, as well as with BYD to introduce electric vehicles to the country. These ventures form part of Ayala’s broader strategy to work with global partners in bringing world-class products and services to Filipino consumers.
Meanwhile, Spinneys is owned by the Al Seer Group, a consumer holdings company with diversified business interests across food, retail, hospitality, shipyards, and construction, operating in more than 20 countries.
