Filipino News 166

08 ISSUE 166 BUSINESS NEWS | www.filipinonews.nz | filipinonews@xtra.co.nz | mob: 027 495 8477 |
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GO NEGOSYO
By Mel Fernandez
AUCKLAND – Tres
Marias Trading Limited,
a Filipino grocery store in
Panmure, Auckland, has
served the local Filipino
community since 1999.
Founded by Oscar and
Mercy Catoto in 1991 as a
small family-run business,
Tres Marias Trading
Limited has since become
a well-established import
and distribution company,
specialising in a wide
range of home brands
from the Philippines such
as popular sauce mixes,
condiments, snacks and
beauty products.
The retail shop operation
was strategically
located in close proximity
to a large Filipino settlement
in the Mt Wellington
area.
Tres Marias Trading
Limited was the first
Filipino grocery store to
ever open on a high street
in New Zealand and it
quickly became popular
among Filipinos and non-
Filipinos alike.
In an interview with
Filipino News ten years
ago, Oscar and Mercy
recalled how they went
about launching their
business.
It was a family environment
where the mantra
was “everybody does
everything”. “We started
with frozen foods like longanisa,
tocino, corned
beef and bacon and I
myself was making the
food,” said Oscar.
“We used our garage
and a small extension in
front of our house in Mt
Wellington and that's
where we started our little
sari-sari store in 1994,”
explained Mercy. “We
also operated a 'rolling
store' from 1994 to 1996,
going door-to-door to
supply Philippine products
to customers,” reminisced
Oscar.
The next stage was to
launch a dedicated
import business to supply
Philippine products to
their outlet and the other
Asian stores that kababayans
frequented.
By 2000 the company
was experiencing rapid
growth. “Lots of Filipinos
started coming to the
country from 2003
onwards,” said Oscar.
“This was the turning
point,” said Mercy.
“Before it was just knocking
on the doors of
Filipino homes to sell the
products, but now people
were looking for us. We
realized that our determination
and hard work
had paid off.”
As Tres Marias flourished,
Oscar and Mercy
branched into freight forwarding.
Tranfex New
Zealand Limited started
in 2001, shipping balik-
AS ONE
DOOR
CLOSES,
ANOTHER
OPENS
Tres Marias closes its iconic
grocery store to shift the
focus to its growing
balikbayan service and
expanding import, export
and distribution business.
bayan parcels to the
Philippines. Around this
time a second store was
opened in Hamilton,
which was later sold to
other Filipinos.
In 2016 Oscar and
Mercy Catoto received
the prestigious Filipino-
Kiwi Hero Award for
Business Excellence in
recognition of their
courage, perseverance
and hard work.
24 years since they
opened the doors of their
Panmure store, Tres
Marias Trading Limited
is entering a new chapter
of its existence.
Sadly, at the end of
February 2023, the
Catotos are closing their
retail operation.
The company
will now be focusing
on its thriving
import, export
and distribution
operation and
Tranfex New
Zealand Limited -
their balikbayan
box service, which
is based in a warehouse
in Pakuranga
Heights,
Auckland.
"We just want
to thank our loyal
customers for supporting
our business
for more than
20 years," said
Mercy.
“We loved serving
not only
Filipinos, but anyone
who wanted to
try Filipino products.
“Now that we
are in our 70s, for
me and Oscar, that
will be enough.”
This outstanding duo is
looking forward to their
retirement and to spending
quality time with their
grandchildren.
“Thank you for being a
part of Tres Marias' journey!”
DOWN MEMORY LANE ...
Mercy Catoto and team exhibiting at
Fiesta Filipinas at the Auckland Showgrounds.
Oscar and Mercy Catoto at the Sharon Cuneta
Concert ‘Meet and Greet’ function in Auckland.
Joy Catoto and team promoting Mama Sita products at the Food Show
held at the Auckland Showgrounds.