US-based Seafood City has teamed up with top Filipino brands to introduce SFC+, a digital marketplace for Filipinos living abroad.
Seafood City, originally a grocerant (portmanteau of grocery and restaurant), was established in San Diego, California, in 1989.
Over the years, the company has expanded to 36 stores across the USA (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, and Washington) and Canada (Ontario, Alberta, and Manitoba).
These grocerant branches have become the go-to community center for Filipino Americans and Filipino Canadians, offering iconic Philippine brands, a full-service supermarket, and food service operations.
Elewin Rebaya, executive vice president of Seafood City and president of SFC+, wants to expand the company’s reach and describes the app as “a digital hub for Filipinos in North America, providing them with exclusive access to US and top Philippine brands, discounts, rewards, and a range of exciting benefits every time they make a transaction using the app.”
It is estimated that one million people visit Seafood City branches every week, which is why the app offers online shopping to bypass lines at the grocery store and integrated restaurants like Grill City and Bakers Avenue.
SFC+ provides a variety of products for overseas Filipinos, which they can send to their relatives in the Philippines. The app also offers discounted “balikbayan box” rates and exclusive shipping rates.
In addition to shopping, the app allows for digital banking using linked accounts from partner banks, as well as the ability to send money to the Philippines without transaction fees.
Users can also pay Philippine bills and purchase mobile load through the app for secure and fast transactions. Digital gift passes for merchants can also be purchased through the app and sent to Filipino relatives.
The app also offers deals such as discounted iWant TFC subscriptions, early access, and discounts to new SMDC properties in the Philippines, and the option to donate to charity groups like Gawad Kalinga USA and ABS-CBN Foundation International.
Every transaction with the SFC+ app earns the user “suki points,” which can be used to access exclusive deals or as currency in future shopping trips for additional savings.
Extra “mabuhay miles” can also be converted to suki points and vice versa to maximize savings where needed.
SFC+ was developed with Talino Venture Studios and partnered with leading brands such as ABS-CBN, the SM Group, Philippine Airlines, SMDC, BDO Unibank, Smart, Globe, East West Bank USA, and BayaniPay.
The app is expected to expand to more brand partners and offerings in the future.
Matt Go, vice president of Seafood City and COO of SFC+, emphasizes that currently, SFC+ is only available to the North American area, but they have plans to expand to other countries and cater to other Filipinos abroad.
