Central Retail reinforces Tops as the #1 Food Retailer in Thailand and Vietnam

The company also reveals its 5-year strategy with four key areas, based on the CRC Retailligence strategy.

With investment of 18 billion baht, the company expects to triple its revenue and to expand its customer base by increasing its store presence to 1,700 locations, becoming the #1 Food Retailer in Thailand and Vietnam.

Stephane Coum, Chief Executive Officer - Food Group, Central Retail, said, “For the past 26 years, as the first supermarket in Thailand, we’ve always focused on offering the best experience and meeting the needs of our customers. We never stop improving and always seek new growth opportunities. We have expanded our business to cover all segments, and today we have many store formats nationwide, including Tops Market, Tops Food Hall, Tops Daily, Central Food Hall and FamilyMart. The variety of formats coupled with the assortment of products and services via omni-channel platforms, we are able to cater to every need of our customers anytime. Tops Market is a successful brand in Thailand, and the success is expanded further into Vietnam. To elevate our retail business as we embark on our third decade, and to grow steadily, strongly and sustainably, we have announced our 5-year strategy with four key areas to lead our food retail business towards our goal.

1.    The leader of supermarket in all platforms, covering every segment

As a food retailer with the widest range of store formats to meet consumer needs, including supermarket, world-class food store, and convenience store, Tops is able to cater to every segment and every need. There are also new formats to ensure that Tops is a destination that fulfils every shopping need and caters to changing consumer lifestyles.

A new project that will be a phenomenon in the food retail industry is ‘Tops CLUB’, the first exclusive global household shopping experience with a membership model. It will be an empire of more than 3,500 products, of which 70% being imported goods and exclusive brands. The product categories include fresh ingredients, dry ingredients, snacks, home essentials, toys, camping supplies, and sport equipment. Only the best brands are selected to meet the needs of consumers with high purchasing power who seek quality. The first ‘Tops CLUB’ flagship store will officially launch in late September in Rama II.

2.    The most complete omnichannel platforms for supermarket in Thailand with the concept of WHENEVER, WHEREVER  

Tops is committed to becoming the leader of omnichannel platforms to offer choices to its customers. In addition to shopping at physical stores, there are many online channels to offer a seamless experience to customers, giving them a feeling of shopping at the stores. They can be assured of the quality, freshness, and variety when shopping via Tops Online which offers convenience in every step, from browsing and ordering to delivery, with a team to select the best products. Professional Pickers allow customers to personalize their orders and add their preferences. 

3.    Tops, the ‘One Stop Shopping’ destination, curates the largest selection of new food products from around the world 

Known as a food destination that fulfils diverse needs, Tops reinforces leadership in the quality and freshness of its products with over 45,000 items to choose from. Tops is also backed by a dynamic team that is always exploring quality products sourced around the world across every food category, bringing the newest and most trending products to delight customers. 

4.    Driving business towards sustainability in Thailand and Vietnam  

The company recognizes the importance of driving its business through the grassroots economy in the country by purchasing agricultural produce directly from farmers. Venues are offered to farmers to sell their produce to consumers at ‘JINGJAI FARMERS’ MARKET’. We also offer growth opportunities to SMEs nationwide through ‘Tops Tong Tin’ platform.

Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited or Central Retail is the leading multi-format, multi-category retailing platform in Thailand. It is also growing internationally, securing leadership status in Italy and becoming one of the leaders in Vietnam. It has a network of 3,440 sales counters (as of 31 March 2022) such as department store, convenience store, specialty store, supermarket, hypermarket, and retail plaza.