In celebration of National MSME Month, foodpanda Philippines is expanding its support for Filipino entrepreneurs through a range of financing solutions, digital growth initiatives, and partnerships with government agencies aimed at helping micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) scale their businesses.
MSMEs account for more than 99% of registered businesses in the Philippines, but many continue to face challenges such as limited digital visibility, changing consumer behavior, and restricted access to capital. foodpanda said its programs are designed to help bridge these gaps by giving merchants access to technology, marketing support, and financing.
“At foodpanda, we believe that when local businesses grow, communities thrive,” said Patricia Jacinto, Director of Growth and Marketing at foodpanda Philippines. “Our role extends beyond connecting merchants with customers. We want to empower entrepreneurs by giving them access to technology, marketing support, financing opportunities, and a platform that enables sustainable business growth.”
Among the company’s key initiatives is foodpanda Capital, a performance-based financing program that offers eligible merchant partners collateral-free business loans with simplified requirements and transparent terms. The financing can be used for kitchen upgrades, inventory purchases, or business expansion.
For LugawJuan, which began as a small lugawan during the pandemic and has since expanded to six branches with more than 30 employees, access to financing supported its continued growth.
“As our business grew, so did our need for capital. foodpanda Capital gave us the support to sustain larger orders, expand our operations, and continue growing with confidence,” shared Ems Muñoz, Founder of LugawJuan.
foodpanda also helps merchants increase sales through platform-wide marketing campaigns, fully funded discount vouchers, customer promotions, and free delivery offers that encourage repeat orders while reducing promotional costs for partner businesses.
The company said these initiatives have helped neighborhood food businesses expand their reach. For instance, Kuya Mel Kitchen—which started as a food stall near De La Salle University—has grown into a high-volume Filipino eatery through online delivery. Similarly, Pares Point Grill and Resto Bar in Makati has evolved from a roadside cart into a full-service restaurant.
“When we started, our goal was simply to serve good food to our immediate neighborhood. Partnering with foodpanda has fueled our expansion and helped us build sustainably on the foundation we started years ago,” shared Roda Anisor, owner of Pares Point Grill and Resto Bar.
foodpanda is also working with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local government units (LGUs) to help more provincial businesses join the digital economy through trade fairs and information caravans.
Under its PandaMarket initiative, regional brands—such as Cebu’s Jafar’s Shawarma and Braddex Batchoy, GenSan’s Mamastill Atbp. Davao’s beloved Davao Famous, and Siargao-born Spotted Pig—have expanded their customer base beyond their local communities while maintaining their regional identity.
