Thai department store heads to Vietnam

Central Group, Thailand’s leading retailer, is expanding its presence in Vietnam with the launch of “Robins” department store.

“Robins” brand will soon be occupying 10,000 sqm of retail space on the B1 level of Royal City, a modern mega mall project with over 200,000 sqm and over 5000 residential units in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The department store will house over 100 brands including Mac Cosmetics, Clinique, Lancome, Body Shop, F&F, Mc Jeans, Samsonite, Giordano, Pacific Union, among others.

It will also have a shoes section featuring a 50-meter “shoe wall” with selections from over 20 top international and local brands including Hush Puppies and Scholl, which will be new to the Vietnamese market.

“The mall promises to serve up a well-rounded range of products for Vietnamese customers of any lifestyle – especially among the younger generation,” said Alan Thomson, president of Robinson Department Store Public Company, who will oversee the department store operation in Vietnam.

Vietnam’s 90 million residents, of which more than 60 per cent belong to a workforce with high purchasing power, makes the market potential for growth.

The influx of foreign investors into Vietnam, aimed at supporting market expansion in Southeast Asia, is also driving the strong growth of the Vietnamese economy, leading to a positive spending pattern among target consumers over the past one to two years, says Tos Chirativat, chairman of the executive committee and CEO of Central Group.

Central Group also operates SuperSports, Crocs and New Balance stores in Vietnam through a distribution network of its subsidiaries and brand licensing to Vietnamese partners.

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