Robinsons Convenience Stores, Inc. (RCSI), a unit of Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc., is rebranding its Ministop stores to Uncle John’s after buying out its Japanese partner.

In a statement, RCSI said the new name banks on the popularity of its best-selling product, Uncle John's Fried Chicken. It is also a celebration of the legacy of RRHI’s late founder, John Gokongwei, Jr.

The new banner name was the winning entry in a contest held in April which asked for suggestions for a new name for the store. With over 80,000 participants, Uncle John’s came up as the top choice among the entries.

“Uncle John's has become a household name for consumers on-the-go, looking for convenient options without sacrificing quality and taste in food,” said RCSI General Manager Suresh Ramalinggam.

Ramalinggam noted that, “Using it as the platform in the reinvention of our stores provides us with a stronger brand story that our customers can relate to.” Uncle John’s stores will continue to carry other Ready-To-Eat bestsellers such as Kariman while it will continue to diversify its menu and new food product offerings to the market.

Customers can also rely on its convenient e-services and bills payment facilities as well as the availability of basic necessities.

In February this year, Robinsons Retail acquired the 40 percent stake of Ministop Japan in RCSI. With this, RCSI is now a 100 percent Filipino owned company.