Thailand news & analysis

Don Don Donki has opened a 4,000 sq. m. discount store at The Market Mall with more than 130,000 items, including fresh products and essentials. Its private label products under Jonetsu Kakaku will also be featured. In-store dining space Due to the Covid-19 outbreak, the retailer will only provide take-away services for cooked food although the store has a dining area. The government has li...

Berli Jucker Plc (BJC), the operator of Big C, plans to allocate THB8-10bn (US$254m-US$318m) this year to expand its business. Investment focus on Big C Supercenter Rami Piirainen, Vice-President for investor relations, said about 70% of the budget will be used to expand the business of Big C Supercenter this year, and the rest for its other businesses. Three Big C hypermarkets will be open...

Tesco has announced that it has reached an agreement with CP Group with respect to the sale of its Asian business that values it at $10.6bn (£8.2bn). In a statement, Dave Lewis Group CEO said "Following inbound interest and a detailed strategic review of all options, we are announcing today the proposed sale of Tesco Thailand and Tesco Malaysia. This sale releases material value and allows us...

Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited (CRC) reports solid growth for 2019. Revenues increased 8% to THB222.7 (US$7.1bn) and profits grew 11% to THB12.4bn (US$394.7m). Leader in retail sector The retailer ended 2019 with positive revenue and profit growth across Thailand, Vietnam and Italy. According to its CEO, Yol Phokasub, it has increased market share in every product categor...

Don Don Donki is ready to expand, one year after the success of its first store in Thonglor. Second outlet will be bigger The retailer opened its first Thai store on 22 February last year. It operates for 24 hours daily and carries a wide selection of Japanese goods and food products. Its second outlet will be on Ratchadamri Road, three times bigger than the first store. Partnership plan...

Thailand’s largest retailer, Central Retail Corp (CRC), has priced its initial public offering (IPO) at THB42 (US$1.36) per share. Largest IPO ever in Thailand The company is raising about US$2.5bn in the deal. Central Retail is controlled by the Chirathivat family which is involved in various businesses from retail, hospitality, real estate and merchandising. It set the indicative price ba...

Tesco's Asian business has attracted significant interest from powerful Thai businesses. Three three major family conglomerates are understood to have made bids for the retailer's operations in Thailand and Malaysia, according to reports in the Financial Times. Three bids on the table The bidders are reported to be: Charoen Pokphand (CP Group) , the diversified business that owns Tha...

Dairy Farm will have separate leaders for food and health & beauty division in Southeast Asia. Separate pillars for food and health & beauty Sam Kim joined Dairy Farm as Chief Executive Officer for Southeast Asia in April 2018. He had been appointed Chief Executive Officer for Health & Beauty and Chief Marketing & Business Development Officer in September 2019. Chris Bush had been appointed...

Tesco has delivered a solid performance in a challenging UK market and continued to progress major changes to its European and Asian operations. Headline LFL results     Q3: 13 weeks to 23 Nov   Christmas: 6 weeks to 4 Jan Combined: 19 weeks to 4 Jan UK -0.4 +0.1 -0.2 ROI +2.0 +1.9 ...

Central Retail Corporation aims to raise up to THB81.1bn (US$2.7bn) in an initial public offering (IPO) at THB40-48 per share. 3 years in the making Yol Phokasub, CEO of Central Retail Corp, said the company had been preparing for three years to list by restructuring to fit with regulations, strengthening its core business and creating a new platform. Central Retail Corp will include Robins...