Historical records regarding the company’s founding year vary slightly. The Office Warehouse website states it has been operating “Since 1997,” while corporate materials from Cosco Capital generally describe the business as operating since 1998. Consequently, the establishment date is frequently cited as the late 1990s, with 1997 being the date used by the company itself.[1]

Foundation

Office Warehouse was established in the late 1990s as a retailer specializing in office and school products. Its initial business model focused on serving businesses and institutions requiring a broad selection of office essentials at accessible price points.

Rather than positioning itself solely as a stationery store, the company operated as an office-solutions provider, particularly for SMEs. Over time, its product assortment expanded beyond traditional pens, paper, and filing supplies to include technology equipment, office furniture, and other workplace necessities.[1]

Records indicate that the first store opened at Vito Cruz Extension in Makati in May 1997. By 2008, the chain had grown to 26 branches within Metro Manila.[2]

Expansion

Following its foundation, Office Warehouse pursued an aggressive expansion strategy. By the time of its acquisition by Cosco Capital in 2014, it operated 47 stores, predominantly concentrated in Metro Manila.[3]

This physical growth was matched by a diversification of its product portfolio. Instead of competing exclusively with traditional stationery shops, Office Warehouse developed a retail model combining:

• Office and school supplies
• Technology products
• Office furniture
• Equipment
• Business services
• Delivery services
• Online shopping

This approach positioned the company as a one-stop shop for workplace and educational requirements.

A significant milestone in the company’s history occurred in 2014, when Cosco Capital, Inc. acquired 100% of Office Warehouse, Inc. This acquisition was part of Cosco’s strategic initiative to diversify its portfolio beyond traditional food retailing into specialty retail.[3]

Cosco Capital identifies Office Warehouse as the foundation of its specialty-retail segment. The consolidation into the Cosco group took effect on May 1, 2014, at which point the chain comprised 47 outlets.

The acquisition provided strategic complementarity to Cosco’s existing retail businesses, namely Puregold and S&R Membership Shopping. While those entities focus on food and general merchandise, Office Warehouse provided exposure to the distinct office, school, technology, and institutional supply markets.

Office Warehouse, Inc. remains listed as a subsidiary of Cosco Capital in disclosures filed with the Philippine Stock Exchange.

The years following the 2014 acquisition were marked by substantial expansion.

By 2016, the store count had increased to 71, up from 47 at the time of acquisition. Sales revenue reached approximately ₱1.53 billion, representing a 17.9% increase over the previous year according to corporate filings.

At the end of 2018, the chain operated 88 stores, comprising:

• 67 stores in Metro Manila
• 21 stores in nearby provinces

The total retail selling area exceeded 16,300 square meters. Gross revenue for 2018 was approximately ₱2.09 billion, effectively doubling the business size in four years.

Cosco Capital has noted that Office Warehouse achieved an average historical annual sales growth rate of approximately 16%, although this trajectory was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Office Warehouse operates as a comprehensive office and school solutions retailer rather than a simple stationery shop. Its merchandise is categorized into several key segments.

Office and school supplies

This traditional core category includes:

• Paper and printing supplies
• Pens and writing instruments
• Notebooks and envelopes
• Filing and organization products
• Staplers and staples
• Desk accessories
• School supplies
• Art and presentation materials

Technology

The retailer offers a wide range of technology-related products, such as:

• Printers
• Ink and printing consumables
• Computers and peripherals
• Calculators
• Computer accessories
• Storage products
• Workplace technology

Current catalogs feature items ranging from Epson printers and scientific calculators to conventional stationery.

Office furniture

To facilitate one-stop procurement, Office Warehouse retails furniture and workplace equipment necessary for establishing or furnishing an office. This category historically includes desks, chairs, storage solutions, and related equipment.

Office Warehouse carries products from numerous domestic and international brands and acts as an exclusive distributor for selected lines. Notable brands identified by the company include:

• Fellowes — Office shredders and workplace products
• Schneider — German writing-instrument brand
• Eagle — Desk accessories and office products
• Atlas — Writing instruments

Fellowes and Schneider are cited as notable exclusive distribution lines.[1] This distribution role indicates that Office Warehouse participates in brand distribution and wholesale-related activities alongside its retail operations.

Distinct from standard retailers, select Office Warehouse physical stores provide document services in addition to merchandise sales. These services include:

• Photocopying
• Color and monochrome printing
• Binding
• Laminating
• Scanning
• Fax services

These offerings reinforce the company’s positioning as an office-services destination for small businesses, students, and consumers who require occasional document processing without owning specialized equipment.

Office Warehouse has progressively adopted an omnichannel retail model. Customers may purchase through the official online store, utilize delivery services, or opt for store pickup. The company also maintains partnerships with various online marketplaces and supports electronic payment platforms and digital wallets.

The official online store organizes inventory into categories including Office Furniture, Office & School Supplies, Technology, New & Featured Products, and Promotions. The network of physical stores serves as fulfillment and pickup points for online orders.

The Office Warehouse store network is concentrated primarily in Metro Manila and Luzon.

Cosco Capital currently reports that the company operates 87 outlets, mainly in Metro Manila, with additional branches in North and South Luzon. The group also utilizes a store-within-a-store concept in seven Puregold locations.

Coverage listed by the official store locator includes:

• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Zambales
• Nueva Ecija
• Pangasinan

Although the company has previously expressed intentions to expand across the Philippine archipelago, its physical footprint remains heavily concentrated in Metro Manila and Luzon.[1]

The customer base of Office Warehouse extends beyond ordinary retail consumers to include specific institutional and commercial segments.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
SMEs represent a critical customer group due to their recurring need for supplies, furniture, and technology, often without the dedicated purchasing infrastructure of larger corporations.

Small offices and home offices (SOHOs)
The company targets home-office users and small workplaces seeking affordable equipment and supplies.

Schools and students
The education sector is a primary market for school supplies, writing materials, and printing products.

Government and institutional customers
Corporate disclosures identify government institutions as a key demographic served by the retailer.

Individual consumers
General consumers utilize both physical stores and the online platform for personal stationery, technology, furniture, and school-related purchases.

The Office Warehouse business model combines high-assortment specialty retail with competitive pricing and convenience. Key elements of its competitive proposition include:

1. Broad assortment — Consolidation of office supplies, school products, furniture, and technology under one banner.
2. Competitive prices — Aligned with the “Cost-cutting starts here!” positioning.
3. Physical accessibility — Store network concentrated in major population and commercial centers.
4. Business services — On-site printing, copying, and binding.
5. Delivery — Door-to-door fulfillment.
6. Store pickup — Integration of physical and online channels.
7. E-commerce — Direct online storefront and marketplace presence.
8. Loyalty marketing — The Points Plus+ program provides member benefits and rewards.[1]

To support its extensive store network, Office Warehouse has invested in supply-chain infrastructure. Operations described by Cosco Capital include:

• Demand planning
• Purchasing management
• Inventory replenishment
• Cross-docking
• Distribution operations
• Proprietary transportation fleet
• Third-party logistics partnerships

The use of cross-docking is intended to improve stock availability while reducing handling and transportation costs.[1] This operational backbone is essential for maintaining a large assortment of low-priced products across multiple locations.

Office Warehouse operates the Points Plus+ Loyalty Program, designed to reward regular customers with perks, privileges, and rewards. This program supports customer retention among frequent purchasers of office and school supplies.[1]

Office Warehouse is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cosco Capital, Inc., a publicly listed Philippine investment holding company with interests in retail, real estate, liquor distribution, and other sectors. The Philippine Stock Exchange identifies Office Warehouse as a subsidiary of the group.

The relationship began in 2014 when Cosco acquired 100% of the company, marking its entry into specialty retail outside of its core food-retailing businesses.[3]

Position within Cosco Capital

Within the Cosco Capital portfolio, Office Warehouse occupies a specialized niche. While affiliates like Puregold and S&R focus on grocery and general merchandise, Office Warehouse targets the office, school, technology, and workplace-supplies market.

Corporate materials explicitly classify Office Warehouse as the group’s Specialty Retail business.[1] This classification provides exposure to distinct consumer spending categories and creates synergies with the grocery network, exemplified by the store-within-a-store format in select Puregold branches.

Office Warehouse has integrated digital retail into its traditional brick-and-mortar operations. Beyond its proprietary e-commerce website, the company has expanded onto third-party online marketplaces. Cosco Capital has highlighted the adoption of electronic payment platforms and digital wallets as measures to enhance purchasing convenience.

Digital channels are particularly relevant to the SME segment, enabling reordering of office supplies without physical store visits.

The company has undertaken community-oriented initiatives under Cosco Capital’s guidance. Notable programs include the Puno ng Pag-ibig Program, which featured a tree-planting project in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and an essay-writing contest for students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Office Warehouse participated in donations of health supplies, food, and clothing to communities in Greater Manila.

Office Warehouse operates in a fragmented market overlapping several retail categories. Historically identified competitors include retailers specializing in:

• Office and school supplies
• Computers and technology
• Books and educational products
• Furniture
• General merchandise

A 2018 corporate filing specifically identified competitors including PC Express, Octagon Computer Superstore, Silicon Valley, VillMan, National Book Store, SM stores, Robinsons Department Store, Blims Fine Furniture, and retailers in Divisoria.

This reflects the company’s unique market position: it competes simultaneously with stationery retailers, computer retailers, furniture stores, department stores, and general merchandise retailers.

The Office Warehouse brand is built on the proposition of helping businesses and consumers obtain work, study, and office essentials affordably. Its identity comprises four pillars:

Affordability
The “Cost-cutting starts here!” slogan emphasizes price-conscious value.

Convenience
Integration of physical stores, online ordering, delivery, and pickup options.

Assortment
Provision of supplies, furniture, technology, and services under one roof.

Business orientation
Positioning as a partner and consultant to SMEs and institutions rather than merely a stationery vendor.

Store counts in historical figures may vary as branches open, close, or undergo reformatting.[2]

1. About | Office Warehouse, Inc.
2. Asia/Philippines/Metro Manila/Quezon City/Robinsons Galleria/Office Warehouse, Inc./ – wiki.Alumni.NET
3. Cosco Capital acquires Office Warehouse | Philstar.com