Figaro Group Partners with UnionBank to Help Digitize Customer Payments

Figaro Coffee Group, Inc. (Figaro Group), one of the leading food conglomerates in the country, recently partnered with Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) to help digitize customer payments in its retail restaurants nationwide. The partnership was formalized through a contract signing last May 25 at the Figaro Coffee Cafe at Shangri-La Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong City.

Under the partnership, UnionBank shall provide a QRPh code to Figaro Group, which it can use to collect payments from customers in its more than 150 retail restaurants, expanding its available payment channels. UnionBank shall also provide training to Figaro Group's restaurant personnel to familiarize them with the use of QRPh.

"This partnership with UnionBank is beneficial to us [at Figaro Group] especially to our customers as it provides them with even more ways to pay for their purchases in our stores," said Figaro Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Divina Gracia Cabuloy. "UnionBank has been a partner of us for a very long time and we look forward and are very excited for what this new partnership will bring."

"What's great about QRPh is that it's very easy to use, it's secure, and you can be sure that the money goes to the recipient as intended. From the merchant or corporate's perspective, they get their money in real time, as opposed to cash, which the merchant needs to collect and physically deposit to their account" said UnionBank Corporate Banking Center Head, Nino Fajardo. “UnionBank is at the forefront, encouraging the wide-spread use of QRPh to help the Philippines move towards a digital and sustainable future.”

With QRPh, customers can now use the "Scan to Pay" feature of the UnionBank Online app or their favorite online banking app or e-wallet in different Figaro Coffee, Angel's Pizza, Cafe Portofino, Tien Ma's and AP Express branches nationwide, enabling more convenient and more secure transactions.

"One of the benefits of using QRPh is that it helps minimize cash handling and the pain points associated with it, such as the inconvenience of giving back loose change, and even pilferage. It also minimizes the costs of handling cash," said UnionBank Merchant Acquiring and Payment Gateway Head, Gerry Austria.

The partnership is just one of the many ways UnionBank is helping promote the wider use of digital payments in the Philippines in line with its "Tech-Up Pilipinas" advocacy which aims to help the whole country digitize in the name of nation-building.