What: The Philippines’ SM has partnered with the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf company to upgrade the in-store experience.

Why it is important: While all markets are not at the same level of maturity in terms of in-store experience and services, convergence is now accelerating fast.

SM Store, in collaboration with Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (CBTL) Philippines, has launched an in-store coffee experience to enhance the shopping environment and drive sales. The first CBTL cafe inside SM Seaside's department store was unveiled on August 9, 2024, with plans to expand to SM Consolacion and SM City Cebu within the month. This initiative marks CBTL's 26th cafe since the concept's introduction in Metro Manila last year, beginning with SM Store Edsa in December 2022. The partnership aims to establish in-store cafes across all 78 SM Store branches by 2026, providing a space for CBTL within department stores.

SM upgrades the instore experience by teaming up with a coffee company