ALLIANCE Global Group, Inc. (AGI) said global operations helped its diversified businesses cushion the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
“Our multiple sources of income have allowed our group to balance our portfolio. Together with our innovative offerings and digitalization strategy, AGI managed to mitigate the impact of the pandemic,” Andrew L. Tan, chairman of AGI, said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Thursday.
The listed conglomerate generated an attributable profit of P8.8 billion in 2020, while consolidated revenues amounted to P128.8 billion.
AGI Chief Executive Officer Kevin Andrew L. Tan said the pandemic allowed the company to “validate the soundness of [its] businesses, as well as the effectiveness of the group’s strategies.”
“To date, The Dalmore, Jura, and Tamnavulin have joined the list of the Top 25 Single Malt Brands, while all of Whyte and Mackay’s single malt whisky brands are growing in the UK, Europe, US, Canada, and Asia,” he said.
Spirits manufacturing segment Emperador, Inc. contributed 41% to AGI’s consolidated revenues in 2020, after it recorded growth in markets across several countries.
The company said it intends to expand Emperador Brandy’s global presence, which has distribution footprint in 61 countries through the same route to market established by Whyte and Mackay.
Meanwhile, real estate unit Megaworld Corp. through Megaworld International delivered robust property sales. Back home, Megaworld also saw an increase in the contribution of its residential projects in areas outside of Metro Manila.
“Our projects outside Metro Manila now account for more than 30% of our real estate sales,” the company’s CEO said, adding that provincial projects now serve as its primary source of reservation sales.
“We believe that this contribution will further grow as we launch more provincial projects in the future because we expect economic progress to spread outside Metro Manila with further improvements in our country’s infrastructure,” he added.
Popular Megaworld projects from last year include Arden Botanical Village in located in Tanza, Cavite; the Pinnacle from the Iloilo Business Park township; and Bacolod-based One Manhattan in its Upper East Township.
Megaworld is looking to create more township projects outside the capital region, with more than 4,300 hectares of developable land in its landbank.
Meanwhile, Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc. has upgraded its Garden Wing to complement its Grand Wing to give Resorts World Manila the capacity to serve its patrons under the “new normal.”
McDonald’s Philippines operator Golden Arches Development Corp. has introduced new products such as the Taste of Korea products and the BTS meal, riding on the popularity of K-pop megaband BTS.
For new McDonald’s stores this year, AGI said it is looking at creating standalone stores with drive-thru facilities and its own delivery system.
“It would be ideal if there are also provisions for outdoor open spaces for alfresco dining,” chief executive Mr. Tan said.
On Thursday, shares of AGI at the local bourse closed unchanged at P10.28 each. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte