Mc Richard Paglicawan
Puregold has officially taken the familiar Filipino “hakot” activity to the big leagues with the launch of its first-ever Puregold Hakot Relay Run at Burnham Green Park in Luneta—an event that pulled in thousands of excited participants and highlighted the retailer’s expanding focus on community-driven brand engagement.
Held on November 22, the event drew a massive crowd, demonstrating Puregold’s ongoing push to strengthen ties with Filipino consumers through large-scale, experiential initiatives aligned with its long-term growth and customer loyalty strategy.
The three-kilometer relay blended fitness, entertainment, and Puregold’s well-loved grocery “hakot” culture.
In teams of three, participants ran through a relay course that featured a hakot stage, where runners strategically filled their sling bags with grocery items before tagging their teammates. The format shifted emphasis from speed to smart teamwork, resulting in a lively, competitive, and highly interactive activity that brought together families, barkadas, and local communities.
The experience extended well beyond the finish line as Puregold staged a Sunset Concert, featuring performances by top OPM and P-pop acts including KAIA, G22, Press Hit Play, and fan-favorite duo BREKA (Brent Manalo and Mika Salamanca). The artists kept the energy high, transforming the event into a festive gathering reminiscent of a community fiesta.
Every participant walked away a winner, receiving a Puregold Hakot Relay finisher’s medal, an official race singlet, and an exclusive grocery sling bag created just for the inaugural run.
Puregold President Vincent Co, who led the first wave of runners, emphasized the company’s intention to create meaningful and unifying experiences for Filipinos.
“Wins come in many forms. This is a new one for us, as Puregold tries to create moments where families, friends, and communities can connect. This Hakot Relay Run gave us a chance to do exactly that,” Co said.
He added that innovation only matters when it delivers value to the public.
“To us, innovation matters because of the value it delivers to our communities,” he noted, reinforcing the retailer’s direction of merging culture, entertainment, and everyday shopping experiences.
The Hakot Relay Run attracted more than 8,000 participants, marking it as one of Puregold’s most successful brand activations. Beyond the event’s entertainment value, it provided partner brands with direct product exposure and sustained consumer interaction long after a typical store visit.
The initiative also reflects Puregold’s broader experiential portfolio, which includes CinePanalo, OPM CON, and expanded digital content under the Puregold Channel—all part of its “Nasa Atin ang Panalo” campaign that supports recurring consumer touchpoints rooted in Filipino culture and identity.
Puregold’s latest financial disclosures show increased store sales and improved revenue, attributing part of its growth to stronger brand visibility and heightened customer engagement brought about by these community-centered programs. Internal assessments further suggest that experiential initiatives like the Hakot Relay help deepen consumer loyalty and enhance competitiveness amid an evolving retail landscape.
As consumer expectations shift toward interactive and meaningful brand encounters, Puregold plans to broaden its investment in community experiences that fuse lifestyle, entertainment, and everyday value. Co remains confident that these experience-led strategies will bolster customer loyalty and reinforce shareholder value, securing Puregold’s relevance in a fast-changing market.
