Thailand’s Central Food Retail is to launch a new warehouse-style grocery concept similar to the Costco and Sam’s Club models made popular in the US and now expanding globally.
The Central Retail subsidiary company will call the new chain Tops Club and the first store will open late next month on Rama II in the capital city of Bangkok.
The new chain is part of a broader commitment to expand its store network in Thailand and Vietnam to 1,700 locations as it invests US$500M over the next five years in a bid to become the “number one food retailer” in both markets.
Tops Club will operate under a membership model and will feature more than 3,500 products, 70 per cent of them imported and “exclusive brands” including Costco’s Kirkland Signature, Mainstays, and Member’s Mark from the US; DJ&A, Smith’s (snack foods) from Australia, and Killinchy Gold (ice cream) from New Zealand.
Stephane Coum, CEO at Central’s Food Group, said the company was focusing on providing a range of Tops destinations to “fulfil every shopping need and cater to changing consumer lifestyles”. Those formats range from FamilyMart convenience stores to supermarkets, food halls and now the new Tops Club.
