When Romy Sia opened his first Healthy Options store in 1995, he wasn’t just thinking about products on shelves. He was thinking about the people behind the counter.
“From day one, I know that I wanted to run the company the western way, meaning hire good people, pay them well, train them. I did not hire undergraduates for frontline employees,” he says.
It was a bold move at a time when most retailers relied on minimum-wage clerks with little training. Sia chose a different path—and it became one of the pillars of Healthy Options’ credibility and growth.
Building Trust Through People
Healthy Options wasn’t only selling preservative-free food and supplements. It was also selling trust. For Sia, that trust started with his employees.
Instead of labeling frontliners as “sales ladies,” he insisted on recruiting graduates with backgrounds in science, pharmacy, or nutrition.
“They’re either pharmacists, nutritionists or some science background. Because when you go talk to them, they know what they’re talking about and they train,” Sia explains.
This gave Healthy Options an edge. Customers who walked in weren’t greeted with a sales pitch. They were welcomed by someone who could speak confidently about health, nutrition, and lifestyle choices.
Why He Pays More for Talent
Most retailers focus on cost efficiency, but Sia saw things differently. He was willing to invest more in salaries to attract top talent.
“If I can get a minimum wage employee, why would I pay ₱25,000 as a starting for millennials? Because I need brain power,” he says.
For him, paying more wasn’t a cost—it was an investment in credibility and customer experience. His philosophy was simple: better people lead to better conversations, and better conversations build long-term loyalty.
Competing for Talent, Not Just Customers
While many assumed Sia’s competition was other wellness retailers like GNC or traditional pharmacies, he framed it differently.
“People say Romy, who is your competitor? They all think GNC. No, my competitors are the banks that hire the best people,” he explains.
By setting higher standards for hiring, Sia positioned Healthy Options as a place where smart, ambitious graduates could begin their careers. Some stayed for years; others moved on to other industries. Either way, the company became a training ground for talent.
Protecting the Brand Through Training
Healthy Options’ reputation rested on credibility. Sia was keenly aware that in an age where information was only a Google search away, misinformation could damage the brand.
“If you come to the store and I tell you all sorts of things, you could Google it and say this guy is bullshitting. We never do that because I need to protect the name of Healthy Options,” he says.
That’s why training and knowledge weren’t optional—they were mandatory. Employees weren’t just staff; they were ambassadors of the brand.
Creating a Culture of Respect
Sia also believed in elevating the role of retail employees.
“Don’t look down on them,” he says. “What we’re doing is noble. We help people to be healthy, to teach them how to be healthy.”
By treating employees with dignity, he built a culture where people felt valued. That culture translated into lower turnover, higher morale, and better service for customers.
The Long-Term Payoff
Nearly three decades later, Healthy Options is a household name in the Philippines. Its stores are not just known for clean aisles and curated products, but also for the knowledgeable people behind the counters.
Sia’s hiring philosophy—investing in people rather than cutting corners—proved to be one of his smartest business decisions.
In a market where competitors could copy his products or store designs, the one thing they couldn’t easily replicate was his team.
As Sia puts it:
“Anybody can open a beautiful store like ours. They can copy everything. But what they cannot copy is how they treat the employee, how they train the employee. This is much harder. This is more long term.”
