MPOWER, the local retail electricity supplier unit of Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), said Tuesday that it had formalized a partnership with Rustan Coffee Corp., the authorized licensee of Starbucks in the Philippines, to enroll select Starbucks branches across Metro Manila under the government's Retail Aggregation Program (RAP).
MPower said this would consolidate the electricity demand of 60 stores totaling three megawatts (MW), enabling operational efficiencies for the coffee chain while supporting the company’s broader business and sustainability objectives.
Rustan Coffee said the partnership with MPower would complement ongoing in-store practices, including water-saving fixtures, 100 percent LED lighting, energy-efficient air-conditioning systems, and improved waste management.
“Since transitioning, we have begun to see initial savings in our electricity costs,” Rustan Coffee President Noey Lopez said.
Meralco Senior Vice President and MPower head Redel Domingo said that by "pioneering RAP within the food and beverage sector, it demonstrates how businesses with multiple facilities can access the benefits of the Retail Competition and Open Access framework."
The RAP allows small-to-medium electricity users to combine their power demand, even across separate locations and meet the threshold required for contestable customer status.
This will allow them to choose their own retail electricity supplier for better price negotiation, reduced electricity costs, and access to renewable energy.
Meralco's share price rose by P9.00 to close at P617.00 each on Tuesday. ED PAOLO SALTING
