Mercury Drug
 | |
| Private | |
| Traded as | Mercury Drug |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1945 in Bambang Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila, Philippines |
| Founder | Mariano Que |
| Headquarters | Bagumbayan, Quezon City, Philippines |
Number of locations | 900 |
Area served | Philippines |
Key people | Vivian Que-Ascona (President) |
| Products | Drug and other Pharmaceutical products. |
| Revenue | PHP 42.98 billion (2003)[1] |
Number of employees | 11,000 |
| Parent | Mercury Group of Companies, Inc. |
| Website |
www |
Mercury Drug is a pharmacy chain in the Philippines.
History
The company began in March 1, 1945 with a single drugstore owned by Mariano Que. He named it after Mercury, the messenger of the gods in Roman mythology, whose caduceus is sometimes used as a symbol of medicine. The store began cutting packaged, bulk items into single pieces and selling them individually; this practise is colloquially called tingí-tingì in Filipino.
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 by Plaza Miranda, Quiapo, Manila, which is notable for its large outdoor LED screen.[2]
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.[3]
Mercury Drug opened a new building, MDC100, in Eastwood City, Quezon City.
References
- ↑ "Mercury Drug Corporation Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Mercury Drug Corporation". Retrieved 14 November 2012.
- ↑ "Newsletter and Articles: Quiapo Plaza Miranda - A Sight To See". Mercury Drug. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- ↑ Austria, Jenniffer (3 December 2001). "SM's Watson's to end Mercury Drug's stranglehold". Manila Standard. Retrieved 13 December 2015.