As Chinese New Year approaches, Filipinos are turning cultural traditions and suwerte (luck) into a shopping list, driving a surge in sari-sari store sales nationwide as families prepare to welcome prosperity for the year ahead.

Filipino tech startup Packworks, through its business intelligence platform Sari IQ, analyzed over one million monthly transactions across its network of 300,000 stores from 2023 to 2025. The study compared sales trends two weeks before and after Chinese New Year and found that products associated with abundance and good fortune posted notable increases.

Luck-Linked Items Drive Growth

Hopia, the round pastry symbolizing togetherness and good fortune, showed steady momentum. Its median gross merchandise value (GMV) rose 20% in 2025, up from a 14% increase in 2023.

The Visayas recorded the strongest growth, particularly Central Visayas, which saw a remarkable 240% spike in sales and a 200% increase in transactions in 2025. The surge reflects the region’s enduring Chinese cultural influence, especially in areas such as Iloilo City, home to approximately 14,000 Chinese-Filipinos.

Meanwhile, Chinese wine, commonly associated with celebratory toasts for prosperity, saw its median GMV jump 36% in 2025, compared to just 3% in 2023. Growth was recorded across most regions:

  • Central Luzon sustained a consistent 100% sales increase annually.

  • Eastern Visayas posted steady gains, rising from 72% in 2023 to 107% in 2024 and 115% in 2025.

The trend highlights the blend of Chinese celebratory customs with the Filipino tradition of tagay (communal drinking).

Noodles Symbolize Long Life

Asian noodles, a staple representing longevity, recorded a 10% sales increase in 2025, rebounding from a 3% decline the previous year.

  • SOCCSKSARGEN led with a 25% sales increase, driven by a 36% rise in stores carrying the product.

  • Western Visayas saw the highest jump in transactions at 25%.

  • Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas maintained steady multi-year growth, reflecting consistent top-up purchases of affordable, culturally symbolic goods.

The Expanding ‘Prosperity Basket’

Holiday demand extended to kitchen staples and sweet treats used for festive meals:

  • Soy sauce: +9% sales growth in 2025

  • Seasoning granules and MSG: +7%

  • Cooking oil: +13% increase in both sales and transactions

  • Chocolates: +36% sales growth in 2025

  • Sugar: sustained strong demand following a 47% spike in 2024

According to Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel, the data underscores how culture and commerce are deeply intertwined.

“Our historical data underscores how deeply traditional beliefs and cultural influences are embedded in the Filipino psyche,” Montiel said. “For the average Filipino, Chinese New Year isn’t just a holiday, but a window for ‘investing’ in prosperity.”

Packworks Co-founder and Chief Platform Officer Hubert Yap added that brands and FMCGs must adopt a hyper-localized, insight-led approach to better align with culturally driven purchasing behaviors at the grassroots level.

Looking ahead, Packworks projects a 10% GMV growth and a 4% increase in transactions for this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations, driven by higher basket sizes during the festive period.

For more information about Sari IQ and deeper insights into sari-sari store trends, visit Packworks’ official website or Facebook page.