Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited (“the Company” or “Central Retail”) is the leading multi-format and multi-category retailing platform in Thailand. The Company is also growing internationally, securing leadership status in Italy, and becoming one of the leaders in Vietnam. The Company is a pioneer in Omnichannel retailing in Thailand, complementing its retail store network and merchandise offerings with leading positions among store-based retailers in online traffic. Central is iconic for its excellence and customer-centric approach to retailing for more than 76 years in Thailand, unifying and supporting diverse retail brands to have a leading market position as well as covering a variety of retail categories.
The Company is committed to creating sustainable growth for the business, following 5-year plan to become “CRC OMNI-Intelligence” consists of five important strategies (5R) as follow :
- Revolutionise Core Strengths – Elevating the strength of core business in Multi-Format, Multi-Category and Multi-Market, with a focus on businesses with high growth as well as raising the level of synergy and M&A to add long-term value to the business.
- Reinforce Financial Resilience – Strengthening financial status with the most efficient cost management to gain better returns and financial flexibility based on 3C (cash, cost, capex) management principle.
- Reinvent Beyond Retail – Expanding business beyond retail which includes becoming an important part of various communities in each category to build network and long-term values for Central Retail's business while also driven to scale up continuously like expanding the ecosystem from B2C to B2B excellence.
- Reimagine Human Capital – Developing employees’ potential by combining the intelligence of AI and HI together to expand work capability, improve customer data analysis and exponential enhancement of the omnichannel platform
- Rally Green Impact – Improving green transition by joining forces with all stakeholders including the government sector, private sector, customers, and business partners to work together in solving climate change issues before they become a climate crisis through reducing energy use and minimising inequality to pass on a better world to future generations.
Central Retail is committed to improving the efficiency of operational procedures of all departments, ensuring that risk management is in line with the economic conditions and shifting consumer behavior. Also, controlling costs and expenses for robust and sustainable growth. The Company is also determined to direct all businesses towards sustainability (ESG).
The Company has several competitive strengths as follows:
- Leading muti-format retail platform with retail banners and omnichannel platform across multiple retail categories
- Focus on customer-centric principle to drive continuous innovation and customer engagement.
- A diverse ecosystem that attracts prestige brands and drives synergies and customer engagement.
- Success of track record of acquisitions and expansion to other markets in Asia and other regions.
- A capable and experienced management team comprising of professional managers from the retail industry and Chirathivat family.
At present, the Company operates its business under various retail banners. The Company has a network of 3,762 sales counters (as of 31 March 2024) such as department stores, convenience stores, specialty stores, supermarkets, hypermarkets, wholesale, health and wellness, retail plazas, and through online on the omnichannel platform. The Company’s business is organized into 5 business units, including:
- Food segment provides a wide range of consumer products and products which could be found in convenience stores and wholesale stores under various retail and wholesale brands, such as Tops, Tops Food Hall, Tops Fine Food, Tops Daily (all stores under Family Mart were converted to “Tops Daily”), GO Wholesale, Big C / GO!, and Tops market Vietnam, go! Vietnam, and Lan Chi Mart Vietnam.
- Hardline segment which consists of home decoration, home improvement, electronic products, stationery, office supplies, and e-Book under retail brands, such as Thaiwatsadu, Thaiwatsadu x BnB home, BnB home, Power Buy, OfficeMate, B2S, MEB, and Nguyen Kim Vietnam.
- Fashion segment offers apparel and accessories under retail brands such as Central Department Store, Robinson Department Store, Rinascente Department Store, Supersports, and other Brandshops.
- Property segment provides rental spaces for stores under the Company as well as stores and services from external parties such as Robinson Lifestyle, Tops Plaza, and Big C / GO! Vietnam.
- Health and Wellness segment focuses on providing healthcare products, cosmeceuticals, and pet products under retail brands namely Tops Care, Tops Vita, and PET ‘N ME..
The Company is operating its businesses in 3 countries: comprising of 60 provinces in Thailand, 42 provinces in Vietnam, and major cities across Italy (as of 31 March 2024).
In 2024, the Company has continuously restored and expanded new stores in 3 countries. For Thailand, the Company will open two department stores, 9 new branches of Thai Watsadu, including food format such as Tops supermarket and Tops food halls and GO! wholesale. For Vietnam, we will open 3 Go! mall and go!. Moreover, the Company has also continuously opened Specialty Stores and Brandshops in both Thailand and Vietnam.
Regarding the Renovation & Rebranding, for Thailand, the Company actively works towards the renovation of several stores of Robinson Lifestyle and Flagship Stores of Central Department Store, and Robinson as well as renovating other small format stores. For Vietnam, the Company had rebranded and renovated 10 branches of Big C to GO! mall and GO! hypermarket. While, In Italy, the Company renovated the department stores.
As of 31 March 2024, the Company has 3.6 million square meters of net sales area and 0.7 million square meters of net leasable area, which increased by 6% and 1% from the same period of the previous year, respectively.
With strong commitment to adapt to customers’ diverse needs, the Company has continuously developed omnichannel platforms to integrate the online and offline shopping experience seamlessly. The stores in the Company’s network have combined the in-store product distribution through salespersons with the online distribution channels and created the connection with customers through a variety of services, such as Personal Shopper, Call & Shop, Click & Collect, Reserve & Collect, Chat & Shop, e-Ordering, and Shop & Drive Thru services, etc.
Please see detail of major shareholders of the Company at https://www.centralretail.com/en/investor-relations/shareholders-information/major-shareholders
Approximately 57.77% of free float (as of 26 March 2024)
The Company has a policy to pay dividends to shareholders at the rate of not less than 40% of the net profit from the consolidated financial statements after tax deduction, the allocation of all various funds required by laws and the Company in each year, and the obligations under the financial contract (if any).
Please contact the Company’s Investor Relations department via Phone number +662 650 3600 #1563-1564, or email: ir@central.co.th. In addition, please find IR presentations and webcasts at https://www.centralretail.com/en/investor-relations/document/presentations