The announcement was made by Olivier Langlet, Chief Executive Officer of Central Retail during his recent meeting with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Le Manh Hung in Hanoi.

Langlet highlighted the group’s For a Better Vietnam strategy, which focuses on expanding mall and store networks across multiple provinces and cities nationwide. According to him, the expansion is intended not only to increase the coverage of modern retail services but also to create jobs for local workers, promote Vietnamese products and support domestic enterprises in integrating more deeply into regional supply chains.

Central Retail currently operates 44 malls and 330 stores across 26 provinces and cities in Vietnam. Vietnamese products now account for approximately 95% of goods distributed through the group’s retail system.

Alongside its retail footprint expansion, the company stated that it will continue supporting farmers, cooperatives and Vietnamese enterprises in bringing products into modern distribution channels. The retailer also plans to promote Vietnamese exports through its distribution network in Thailand and other international markets.

Minister Hung welcomed Central Retail’s development orientation which he said aligns with Vietnam’s socio-economic development goals, particularly as the country’s retail market enters a new phase of modernization, sustainability and green transformation.

The minister also encouraged the group to further increase the proportion of Vietnamese products within its distribution network while continuing to support domestic enterprises in brand building, production capacity improvement and high-quality workforce training for the modern retail industry.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade is committed to fostering a transparent, competitive and investment-friendly business environment for both domestic and foreign enterprises operating in Vietnam, he told his guest.

Joining the Vietnamese market in 2012, Central Retail, the retail arm of Thailand’s Central Group, one of the country’s largest retail conglomerates, has become one of the largest foreign retailers in Vietnam by network coverage.

The group currently operates more than 300 malls and stores across 26 provinces and cities under brands including GO!, Tops Market, Lan Chi Mart and Supersports, serving an average of around 500,000 customers daily.

According to the company, Vietnam contributes approximately 20% of Central Retail’s total revenue. The retailer has also been accelerating the development of omnichannel operations and AI-powered retail platforms in the Vietnamese market.

Central Retail previously stated its ambition to become Vietnam’s leading omnichannel food retailer, while positioning Vietnam as a “high-potential market” within its broader ASEAN growth strategy.

Central Retail unveils US$1.38 billion expansion plan for Thailand, Vietnam

Thailand's largest retailer Central Retail Corporation (CRC) will invest over THB45 billion (US$1.38 billion) through 2027 to expand mainstream markets and accelerate growth in both Thailand and Vietnam, the retailer said in a press release on June 24.