Mercato Centrale, Peddlr to provide digital tools for small food enterprises

MERCATO Centrale Group, a local food business incubator, has partnered with technology solutions provider Peddlr Philippines, Inc. to provide digital tools to over a hundred small food vendors across Metro Manila.

Under the partnership, Peddlr’s point-of-sale (PoS) and analytics platform would be integrated into food micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME) under the Mercato Centrale system.

Peddlr’s mobile app includes key features like PoS functions, inventory tracking, QRPh (quick response)-enabled payments, and real-time sales monitoring.

“It’s not enough to serve great food. Our vendors need to understand operations, manage finances, and build customer relationships. With Peddlr, they can take control of their business using practical and accessible tools,” Mercato Centrale Chief Executive Officer RJ Ledesma said in a statement.

The partnership also includes training and onboarding support for small-time food vendors, especially those who lack tech training or are accustomed to older devices.

Mercato Centrale, an incubator for micro and small food businesses, said the partnership seeks to bridge the digital divide for MSMEs in the country.

“Access to analytics changes the game for our vendors,” Dan Aguilar, general manager at Mercato Centrale. “They can now run promos more effectively, adjust pricing, and monitor margins. It’s an essential upgrade for today’s entrepreneurs.”

Over 99%, or 1.2 million of all businesses in the Philippines are MSMEs, according to 2023 data from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).

Of the total, some 15.37% of the country’s MSMEs are in the industry of accommodation and food service activities, DTI said. — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz