Thailand’s Central Retail plans up to 12 new hypermarkets in Vietnam

Currently, Central Retail operates 43 Go! hypermarkets across Vietnam, each ranging from 10,000 to 35,000 square meters, alongside 16 Go! mini supermarkets, nine TOPS Market outlets, and 23 LanChi Mart stores.

Pham Thi Thuy Linh, head of expansion and corporate affairs at Central Retail Vietnam, said the company sees strong growth potential not only in major cities like Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi but also in smaller urban centers undergoing rapid urbanization.

“Modern retail penetration in Vietnam is only about 13 percent, compared to 55 percent in Thailand, showing significant room for growth,” she added.

Between 2026 and 2028, the company plans to launch 10-12 new Go! hypermarkets and shopping centers, along with 23-25 Go! mini supermarkets.

Vietnam already contributes around 20 percent of Central Retail’s total revenue, according to figures from January to September 2025.

Suthisarn Chirathivat, chief executive officer of Central Retail, previously revealed that Central Retail would invest 45-47 billion baht (US$1.42-1.49 billion) in Thailand and Vietnam between 2025 and 2027, focusing on tailoring store formats to specific customer needs.

The company is also prioritizing online retail, recognizing Vietnam’s rapid shift toward omnichannel shopping.

At the end of 2025, Central Retail surprised the market by divesting from electronics chain Nguyen Kim in a deal worth about $36 million.

The move was part of a strategy to streamline its portfolio and concentrate resources on its two core businesses in Vietnam, including food retail and real estate.