Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide managerial insights into how consumer goods companies adopt the traditional mini-sized retail modalities and adjust their strategies to market sachets successfully in the Philippines.

Design/methodology/approach – The study uses case studies through semi-structured in-depth interviews with marketing managers from major multinational and regional companies that have used sachets as part of their marketing strategy.

Findings – The findings suggest that companies use sachet marketing to facilitate trials of new products and to deliver value across the market by making products more affordable and accessible. The extensive network of corner stores provides the distribution system needed to reach the farthest and remotest markets. To be successful, the brands must be popular and priced in a manner compatible with the coinage system in a market.

Originality/value – There has been little analysis of consumer goods companies’ strategies that cause quick acceptance of sachets. This study fills this gap in research and shows how companies have adopted the piecemeal retailing and adapted their strategies to create a burgeoning sachet market.