Central Retail Corporation Public Company Limited (“the Company” or “Central Retail”) is the leading multi-format, Multi-category, omnichannel retail, and wholesale platform in Thailand, Vietnam, and Italy.
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 77 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 uses “Central” (both in Thai and English) in trademarks, service marks, and tradenames in business operations under certain licensing agreements. The Company believes we have helped to drive the evolution of consumer lifestyles and shopping habits in Thailand and Vietnam by introducing new retail experiences to the customer, including department stores, specialty stores, supermarkets, mini supermarkets, hypermarkets, wholesale, and retail plaza.
The Company is set to move forward to the next era with ‘CRC OMNI-Intelligence’ vision consists of five important strategies (5R) as follows:
- 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 - Accelerate growth across Central Retail’s core businesses, both locally and globally, as well as collaborating with world-class partners.
- 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, 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 minimizing inequality to pass on a better world to future generations.
These 5 strategies are designed to drive the organization forward by adhering to the principle of being "Central to Life", fostering sustainability growth. The business group places great importance on all stakeholders and aims for sustainable expansion—not only in operations and business growth but also in environmental, social, and ethical aspects of good corporate governance. The goal is to ensure that employees, the organization, business partners, customers, society, and the environment all grow sustainably together.
The Company has several core competitive strengths to achieve its strategic objectives as follows:
- Leading Muti-Format Retail Platform with Retail Brands and Omnichannel Platform across Multiple Retail Categories
- Customer-Centric focus to Drive Continuous Innovation and Customer Engagement
- Diverse Ecosystem Attracts Prominent Brands for Synergies and Customer Engagement
- Success in Acquisitions and Expansion to Other Markets in Asia and Other Regions in the Past
- Capable and Experienced Management Team Comprising Professional Management from the Retail and Wholesale Industry and the Chirathivat Family
At present, the Company operates its business under various retail banners. The Company has a network of 3,852 stores (as of 31 December 2024) such as department stores, specialty stores, brandshops, wholesale, hypermarkets, supermarkets, mini supermarkets, retail plazas and health and wellness, 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 wholesale stores under various retail and wholesale brands, such as Tops, Tops Food Hall, Tops Fine Food, Tops Daily, GO Wholesale in Thailand and Big C / GO!, Tops market, go!, and Lan Chi Mart in 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 in Thailand and Nguyen Kim in Vietnam.
- Fashion segment offers apparel and accessories under retail brands such as Central Department Store, Robinson Department Store, Rinascente Department Store (Italy), Supersports, and Brandshop.
- 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 in Thailand and Big C / GO! in Vietnam.
- Health and Wellness segment focuses on providing healthcare products and cosmeceuticals, and pet products under retail brands such as Tops Care, Tops Vita, and PET ‘N ME.
The Company is operating its businesses in 3 countries: comprising of 62 provinces in Thailand, 43 provinces in Vietnam, and major cities across Italy (as of 31 December 2024).
In 2025, the Company has continuously restored and expanded new stores in 3 countries. For Thailand, the Company will open 4 stores of Thai Watsadu, 4 stores of GO wholesale, 10 stores of food format such as Tops supermarket and Tops food halls. For Vietnam, we will open 2 stores of GO! mall and GO! Hypers and 3 stores of go!. Moreover, the Company has also continuously opened Specialty Stores and Brandshops in both Thailand and Vietnam.
For Renovation & Rebranding: In Thailand, the Company actively works towards the renovation of several stores of Robinson Lifestyle, Central Department Store, and Robinson Department Store. Additionally, Robinson Department Store in Bangrak has been rebranded as Central Department Store. Moreover, several smaller stores are currently undergoing upgrades. For Vietnam, the Company is undergoing renovations 2 GO! mall locations at Thang Long and Dong Nai, with completion expected in 2025. In Italy, Plans are underway to expand the Beauty Hall by 3,000 square meters, making it the largest Beauty Hall in Milan, with an expected opening in 2027.
As of 31 December 2024, the Company has 3.7 million square meters of net sales area and 0.7 million square meters of net leasable area, which increased by 5.0 % and 2.5% 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 57.8% 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 or email: ir@central.co.th. In addition, please find IR presentations and webcasts at https://www.centralretail.com/en/investor-relations/document/presentations