Thai company Charoen Pokphand plans doubling the sales of its convenience chain Fresh Mart over the next three years.

It will open 300 to 350 stores annually from 2014 to 2016.

With the expansion, sales are expected to increase to 20 billion baht (US$643 million) by 2016.

This year’s second half will see the company opening 80 Fresh Mart stores in Thailand.

To optimise profit, it closed Fresh Mart unprofitable stores and remodelled its existing ones.

Charoen is also planning to take Fresh Mart brand to Asean countries including Vietnam and Malaysia to take advantage of the Asean Economic Community in 2016.