Japanese supermarket operator Saeki Selva Holdings is set to enter Vietnam, with plans to open its first overseas store in Ho Chi Minh City within the next three years.

The retailer operates 56 stores in Japan, mainly in and around Tokyo. It plans to enter Vietnam with small-format stores targeting middle-class consumers, with an eventual goal of building a 100-store network.

According to Nikkei Asia, Saeki will also invest in developing its Vietnamese workforce. Employees will spend at least three years learning core retail operations at stores in Japan before returning to Vietnam for further training in store management, product development and other advanced skills.

“This is the first stage of our expansion into Southeast Asia,” Saeki president Yukihiko Saeki told Nikkei Asia. “We intend to combine the hygiene management know-how that Japanese supermarkets possess with the local food culture and lifestyle.”

The move comes as Japanese retailers accelerate their expansion in Vietnam. Aeon is also pursuing a major local rollout, with plans reported in 2025 to reach 100 general merchandise stores and super-supermarkets, alongside 200 smaller grocery stores, by 2030.

Saeki’s focus on smaller stores comes as Vietnamese shoppers place a strong emphasis on convenience. A Q&Me survey of 200 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi found proximity was the leading factor in supermarket choice, cited by 77 per cent of respondents, followed by reasonable prices and product range.