If there's one name that is synonymous with wines in the Philippines, it will be Ralph's Wines and Spirits. For more than three decades now, Ralph's has been at the forefront of wine and liquor supply and distribution in the country, with an extensive array of wines from all over the world. To say the least, Ralph's stayed on top of the competition because of its superior quality products and its dedication to become the country's leading wine distribution group.
“Wine is a lifestyle,” described Robert Lim Joseph, the eldest among the four Joseph brothers and one of the directors of Ralph's Wines and Spirits. The statement sounds exciting more than intoxicating. After all the Joseph's knows their business, the country's leading wine and spirits retail store.
“Wine has lower alcohol content, it has a lot of health benefits especially for the heart, and it gives you the feeling of peace and relaxation,” explained Robert.
“You drink wine to enjoy, not to get drunk. And taste is very important. That is why, there are different kinds of wines, because it caters to different taste preferences,” added Ronnie Joseph, second to the eldest and the one taking care of wine selection, import, and vineyard inspection. Since quality control is a crucial part of his job, Ronnie ensures that only good quality wines that give value to customer's money are displayed on the shelves of their 20-outlet stores. “We have wines for every budget. For different kinds, we also have different price points.”
Suffice it to say, the hands on management of brothers Robert, Ronnie, Ralph and Raymond, and their expertise in the business, are just some of the reasons that keep Ralph's several steps ahead of the competition.
Starting Years
Fresh out of college in 1974, Ralph Lim Joseph went to his friend's store in Clark. He discovered sparkling white wines (which are commonly mistaken for champagne) that only sell at P20 per bottle. He brought several bottles and brought it to his house and sold it to his friends and relatives for P35. That is when he saw a big potential in wine and liquor retail and decided to put up his own store. He copied his uncle's corporation papers, registered his company and told his mother and brother about his plans.
“My mother and my brothers have been so supported about my plans”, narrates the third Joseph.
She gave him P28, 000 for start-up but the mere construction of the wine shop cost him P12, 000 so his mother lent him more money to start his shop in the former Tramo Road in Pasay City.
“On our first day, we don't have a sale but on the second day we sold P500. So I thought, if I sell P500 everyday, on a 10% commission, I would get P1500 a month. That's 40% more than the current minimum income of an employee during that time. So I decided to settle in the business. I also do not want to work for a boss,” relates Joseph.
“Actually, Ralph just wanted to have date money during that time,” quipped the youngest Joseph.
Eventually, the other three boys also developed a liking for wines. Through continuous exposure to the business, they immersed themselves on the industry and became directors of Ralph's.
Due to the import control during that time, Ralph's was having difficulty in getting supplies from outside the country but they were lucky to gain enough allocation. Nevertheless, the import control also created a higher demand for wines and liquor and Ralph's continued to grow. When the import control was lifted during the time of Cory Aquino, Ralph's is already enjoying a steady flow of customers.
From its first store in Tramo Road, Ralph's expanded to its second store in United Nations Avenue. But the high cost of rent forced them to close the shop and open a new one near BF Homes in Paranaque. In 30 years the business grows to 20 branches all over the Philippines, with outlets in Metro Manila, Subic, Clark, Boracay, Metro Cebu, Bohol, Iloilo and soon in Bohol. Ralph's also has the biggest wine storage among other suppliers in the country, a 2000 square meter storage facility since 1978.
“We make sure that we stay on top of our jobs to stay on top of the competition. We work very hard and we're very hands on with the business,” said Ralph on the secret of their success.
He finds the competition tougher now than before especially with the presence of small players who plunge their prices really low for equally low quality wines.
