SET-listed Berli Jucker Plc (BJC), a consumer product manufacturer under Thai Beverage (ThaiBev) Group, will pool its synergy with Big C Supercenter Plc to expand its business across the Indochina market.
Aswin Techajareonvikul, chief executive of BJC, said the company and Big C will work together to find business opportunities in both domestic and Indochina markets.
The strength of Big C's retail network will help reinforce BJC's expansion via networking links abroad, particularly in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, he said.
BJC received approval from the Laotian government to expand its retail business there. It established BJC-MPM (Laos) Sole Company Ltd in Laos in 2013 to give M Point Mart convenience store franchise rights to local investors. There are 18 M Point Mart stores in Vientiane.
BJC is in negotiations with a Cambodian investors to operate a retail business there, Mr Aswin said.
For Vietnam, BJC operates two retail chains, Metro and MM Mega Market, which it plans to expanded further.
He said after BJC bought Big C for over 200 billion baht the goal is to fulfil the group's objective to operate several retail formats: convenience stores, hypermarkets, cash and carry stores, health and beauty shops and drugstores.
Meanwhile, ThaiBev has been branching out its food business by joining hands with Maxim, a Hong Kong-based food group, to operate a bakery business here. The first Maxim bakery will open at Siam Paragon in Bangkok next month, with nine to 14 more planned over the next 12-18 months.
The group plans to bring in more food brands via Maxim to Thailand. ThaiBev also has Food Asia Co, a subsidiary recently set up to expand the group's food business beyond Japanese restaurants, which are now handled by Oishi Group Plc.
Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, chief executive of ThaiBev, said Food Asia will expand its own brands, buy licences to open restaurants, and consider joint ventures.
A price tag is seen at a branch of Big C, a discount retail unit owned by Berli Jucker Plc, a subsidiary of Thai Beverage Group. Berli Jucker is keen to expand its regional network. PATIPAT JANTHONG