What began in 1984 as a casual sideline between five friends has grown into Primer Group of Companies, a global retail powerhouse behind dozens of lifestyle and outdoor brands across Asia, the Middle East, and beyond.
“There were five individuals when we started this business,” says Jimmy Thai, Primer Group’s co-founder and CEO. “We would just hang around like barkada in 1984. The five of us had individual businesses and careers, but because we often hung around together, we decided one time and said, ‘Okay, mag sideline na lang tayo,’ so we started dealing and trading. We would trade anything for additional income so we can have cash to spend for gimmicks. We were in our late 20s during that time.”
In the beginning, their trading model was simple: bring in what the market wanted and sell in bulk. “It was very transactional,” Thai recalls. “We would import what the market wanted, then sell by bulk.”
But in the late ’80s, a chance meeting changed everything. One of their partners, Johnny, met Gary, a Singaporean distributor for Samsonite in Malaysia and Singapore.
“They exchanged cards, and Johnny asked, ‘Oh, you’re from Samsonite? You know the brand?’ Gary replied, ‘Yeah, familiar with attaché cases and suitcases.’ Then Gary asked, ‘What do you think? Is there a market for this?’ because at that time, only one well known department store was doing it as a retailer, not an exclusive distributor. They buy from the Samsonite US then they sell it in their store.”
Johnny saw potential and brought the opportunity to Thai. “Johnny said, ‘Oh, Jim, better meet this guy. He’s talking about distribution.’ I remember as we started, we were just trading, you know, whatever we could make money from. When this opportunity came, we realized it was more than just trading; it was about distribution. We needed marketing, pricing, you know, the four Ps. We thought maybe it was time to formalize our business beyond just one-time deals.”
In 1988, they began testing the market. “At that time, we didn’t really have track records, because our company was trading, not marketing,” Thai says. “An executive from Samsonite US came to see us, interviewed here and there and our Singapore contact told him, ‘I know these guys are young, they’re hungry, you know? Give it to the boys and I’ll be their back up. They will really push.’”
Their first concession space was small—just 15 square meters in Landmark department store. “We went into Landmark because no one wanted to buy wholesale, outright kasi the price was high,” he explains. “It was challenging in the beginning because of the high pricing of our products. Hindi naman marami nagta-travel noon eh, but we have to really explain to people until the market accepted it.”
Then came their first big challenge. “Pinasukan kami ng coup d’état in 1989 kasi the military took hold of Landmark eh. Sabi namin, ‘Naku na-ransack na yung mga goods natin. First shipment pa naman. Patay na.’”
Despite the setback, their Singaporean mentor stayed calm. “He said, ‘Okay, calm down, calm down. Just steady there.’ He supported us kasi sobrang leap of faith nga eh.”
The Philippines at the time wasn’t easy—brownouts, kidnappings, and economic instability—but they persevered. “It was a very tough environment at that time,” Thai says. “But we were able to hurdle that. I said somehow there was a divine intervention. I would say we exceeded their expectations during the first year. After the test market, we became official.”
That modest beginning evolved into a regional empire. Today, Primer Group operates in multiple countries and represents world-class brands like The North Face, DC Shoes, JanSport, and Bratpack.
“We didn’t know it would turn into this,” Thai reflects. “We were just looking for extra income at first—but we stayed hungry, we kept learning, and we surrounded ourselves with the right people.”
This article includes quotes from an interview originally published by Esquire Philippines, authored by Henry Ong.
