Mercury Drug

Mercury Drug is a pharmacy chain in the Philippines.

Mercury Drug
Private
Traded asMercury Drug
IndustryRetail
FoundedBambang Street, Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines
March 1, 1945 (1945-03-01)[1][2]
FounderMariano Que
HeadquartersBagumbayan, Quezon City, Philippines
Number of locations
1,000
Area served
Philippines
Key people
Vivian Que-Ascona (President)
ProductsDrug and other pharmaceutical products.
Revenue₱42.98 billion (2003)[3]
Number of employees
11,000
ParentMercury Group of Companies, Inc.
Websitemercurydrug.com

History
A blister pack sold by the piece (tingí-tingì).

The company began on March 1, 1945[1] with a single drugstore owned by Mariano Que (d. (2017-04-15)April 15, 2017).[2][4] He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology, whose caduceus is sometimes used as a symbol of medicine. The logo of the drugstore was made by Alfredo Medinaceli Cabrera.

The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them individually; this practice is colloquially called tingí-tingì in Filipino. During its foundation, it is the second oldest established drugstore chain in the country (after South Star Drug, which established in 1937 - eight years earlier).

Upon the invitation of Ayala Corporation, Mercury Drug opened its second branch in May 1963 at a developing commercial center in Makati now known as the Ayala Center.

In 1965, Mercury Drug established its landmark branch at Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila, which is notable for its large outdoor LED screen.[5]

In 2001, then trade secretary Mar Roxas described Mercury drug as a "near monopoly" and said it has 70 percent share of the domestic market (hence, it is now facing competition from mentioned-above South Star Drug - which the latter eventually acquired by Robinsons Retail in 2012 - and SM-owned Watsons Philippine franchise).[6]

As of 2017, Mercury Drug has reportedly over 1000 branches across the country.[7] Recently, it opened a new building, MDC100, located in Eastwood City, Quezon City.[8]

References
  1. "Corporate Information". Mercury Drug Store. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  2. "Mercury Drug founder Mariano Que dies". ABS-CBNnews.com. April 15, 2017. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
  3. "Mercury Drug Corporation Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Mercury Drug Corporation". Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  4. Barahan, Ed Margareth (15 April 2017). "Mercury Drug founder Mariano Que dies at 96". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  5. "Newsletter and Articles: Quiapo Plaza Miranda - A Sight To See". Mercury Drug. Archived from the original on January 12, 2012. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
  6. Austria, Jenniffer (3 December 2001). "SM's Watson's to end Mercury Drug's stranglehold". Manila Standard. Retrieved 13 December 2015.
  7. "Mercury Drug founder Mariano Que dies". ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs. 15 April 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
  8. Tan, Yvette (January 19, 2014). "100 Revolving Restaurant serves haute cuisine at high altitude". GMA News Online. Retrieved July 26, 2019.
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