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| Company type | Family-owned holding company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, Property development, Brand management, Hospitality, Food and beverage, Digital lifestyle |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Tiang Chirathivat, Samrit Chirathivat |
| Headquarters | Bangkok, Thailand |
| Area served | Asia Indonesia Japan Malaysia Maldives Sri Lanka Thailand Vietnam Europe Denmark Germany Ireland Italy Netherlands Switzerland United Kingdom |
| Key people | Tos Chirathivat, Executive Chairman and CEO |
| Products | Shopping centers, department stores, restaurants, hotels. |
| Number of employees | 80,000 |
| Subsidiaries | Central Pattana PLC (SET: CPN) Central Plaza Hotel PLC (SET: CENTEL) Central Retail Corporation PLC (SET: CRC) |
| Website | CentralGroup.com |
Central Group is a Thai multinational conglomerate consisting of subsidiaries in retail, property development, brand management, hospitality, and food and beverage sectors.
History
Founder Tiang emigrated from Hainan Island to Bangkok in 1925. He set up his first shop in the Thon Buri district on the outskirts of Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River from the city center. He moved across the Chao Phraya River to a location near the grand Oriental Hotel (now the Mandarin Oriental), where he opened a store with his eldest son, Samrit, in 1947. In 1956, the family opened Central Department Store, the biggest department store in Thailand at that time, in Wang Burapa district, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana, was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping centre, CentralPlaza Ladprao in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, in 1983. Besides expansion through physical presence in the Bangkok retail space, Central Group has in recent years built an online presence among ASEAN e-tailers and a strong presence of luxury department store collection in Europe.
Key business line
Malls and commercial properties
Further information: Central Pattana
Central Group has substantial operations in developing Thai retail and commercial properties, and currently holds the largest market share of net leasable area in Thailand. Besides retail, Central Group has also developed offices, co-working spaces and residential projects.
| Name | Opening | Total Project
GFA |
Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Ladprao | December, 1982 | 310,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Ramindra | November, 1993 | 86,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Pinklao | March, 1995 | 370,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Marina | July, 1995 | 70,000 | Pattaya |
| Central Chiangmai Airport | March, 1996 | 250,000 | Chiang Mai |
| Central Rama III | October, 1997 | 188,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Bangna | December, 2001 | 500,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Rama II | December, 2002 | 273,000 | Bangkok |
| centralwOrld | December, 2002 | 830,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Rattanathibet | December, 2003 | 140,000 | Nonthaburi |
| Central Chaengwattana | November, 2008 | 310,000 | Nonthaburi |
| Central Pattaya | January, 2009 | 210,000 | Pattaya |
| Central Udon | April, 2009 | 250,000 | Udon Thani |
| Central Chonburi | May, 2009 | 156,000 | Chonburi |
| Central Khonkaen | December, 2009 | 200,000 | Khon Kaen |
| Central Chiangrai | March, 2011 | 110,000 | Chiang Rai |
| Central Phitsanulok | October, 2011 | 100,000 | Phitsanulok |
| Central Rama IX | December, 2011 | 214,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Suratthani | October, 2012 | 130,000 | Surat Thani |
| Central Lampang | November, 2012 | 110,000 | Lampang |
| Central Ubon | April, 2013 | 151,000 | Ubon Ratchathani |
| Central Chiangmai | November, 2013 | 260,000 | Chiang Mai |
| Central Hatyai | December, 2013 | 295,000 | Songkhla |
| Central Samui | March, 2014 | 76,000 | Ko Samui |
| Central Embassy (Mixed Use Development) | May, 2014 | 1,000,000+ | Bangkok |
| Central Salaya | August, 2014 | 185,500 | Nakhon Pathom |
| Central Rayong | May, 2015 | 155,000 | Rayong |
| Central Westgate | August, 2015 | 352,000 | Nonthaburi |
| Central Eastville | October, 2015 | 90,000 | Bangkok |
| Central Nakhon Si | July, 2016 | 125,000 | Nakhon Si Thammarat |
| Central Korat | November, 2017 | 233,000 | Nakhon Ratchasima |
| Central Mahachai | November, 2017 | 131,250 | Samut Sakhon |
| Central Phuket – Floresta | September, 2018 | 300,000 | Phuket |
| Central i-City | March, 2019 | 259,000 | Shah Alam, Malaysia |
| Central Village Luxury Outlet | August, 2019 | 40,000 | Samut Prakan |
| Central Si Racha | October, 2021 | 140,000 | Chonburi |
| Central Ayutthaya | November, 2021 | 160,000 | Ayutthaya |
| Central Chanthaburi | May, 2022 | 92,000 | Chanthaburi |
| Central WestVille | November, 2023 | 93,000 | Nonthaburi |
| Central Nakhon Sawan | Q1/2024 | 76,000 | Nakhon Sawan |
| Central Nakhon Pathom | Q2/2024 | 69,000 | Nakhon Pathom |
| Central Krabi | Q4/2024 | 46,500 | Krabi |
- Central i-City, despite managed by CPN, is the only mall that didn't feature Central Department Store or any Central Group retail stores.
Retail and brands
Retail & Brands is Central Group’s most significant business with investments in Europe and Asia.
Fashion: Department stores, lifestyle centers, lifestyle & fashion brands
Hardline: Home décor & construction, electronics, office supplies, books & stationery
Food: Supermarkets and convenience stores
| Chains | Country | Branches |
|---|---|---|
| Central Department Store | Thailand | 22 (In 2019, Zen Department Store was rebranded as Central) |
| Indonesia | 1 (Opened first at Grand Indonesia in 2014, then opened its second branch at Neo Soho in 2016, but Neo Soho branch closed down from February 18. 2019 due to low sales.) | |
| Robinson Department Store (Robins in Vietnam) | Thailand | 50 |
| Vietnam | 2 | |
| Rinascente | Italy | 9 |
| Illum | Denmark | 1 (Copenhagen) |
| Alsterhaus | Germany | 1 (Hamburg) |
| KaDeWe | Germany | 1 (Berlin) |
| Oberpollinger | Germany | 1 (Munich) |
| Globus | Switzerland | 7 |
| Selfridges | England | 4 |
| Brown Thomas | Ireland | 5 (6 including BT2 Blanchardstown) |
| Arnotts | 1 (Dublin) | |
| De Bijenkorf | Netherlands | 7 |
- ^ In partnership with Signa Holding
Hospitality
Central Group owns and manages visitor accommodation at all major Thai tourist destinations and around the world under own banners as well as international brands. Hotels cover every segment from luxury to economy. Central’s own brands comprise Centara Reserve, Centara Grand, Centara Boutique Collection, Centara, Centra by Centara and Cosi, while internationally-branded hotels include Park Hyatt Bangkok and Hilton Pattaya. In Japan, Central Group is a co-investor in StayFactory Hotel Group, whose brands include Hotel Hillarys, Hotel Relief, and Hotel Stork.
Central Group has also pioneered restaurant chains in Thailand, and operates well-known local, regional, and international food brands such as Mister Donut, KFC, Auntie Anne’s, Pepper Lunch, Chabuton, The Terrace, Yoshinoya, Ootoya, Tenya, Katsuya and Fezt.
Financial Services & FinTech
One of Central Group's aspirations towards the New Central New Economy strategy is to create convenience for both merchants and consumers with financial services and Fintech, with the ultimate goal of a cashless society in Thailand.
Financial Services & Fintech categories:
Credit : The1 credit card, sales finance, personal loans
Payment : gift cards, e-payments, e-wallets
Insurance brokerage : motor, health, personal accident, property & casualty, group life
Philanthropy
Central Tham Projects
Central Tham is a sustainability initiative and social development project founded by Central Group, with the focus on minimizing inequality and providing opportunities to all members of society together by transforming education into a hub of learning. Furthermore, it intends to promote careers for people with disabilities, as well as develop community economies, create jobs with stable income, share knowledge, support marketing communication channels, preserve and protect the environment in order to create a green world, and eventually guide all sectors toward sustainable tourism.
Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai Province
Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai is a community tourism project based on organic agriculture that started in 2012 and covers more than 11.07 acres in the Central Group's "Jing Jai Central Chiang Mai" area. The market is organized into 3 sections: Food, Art & Design, and Craft. In addition, there is a Tops Green store, the first green store, as well as a Good Goods store, which is a Thai social enterprise brand that carries on local wisdom and has developed in quality and modernized design to be contemporary with an emphasis on creating sustainable happiness for both locals and tourists.
Na Muen Sri Weaving Community Learning Center, Trang Province
Over 200 years of history of the largest weaving source in the country with up to 39 original fabric patterns that should be preserved and carried on, Na Muen Sri is considered a revered item of Trang Province that has helped bring together people in the community to inherit local wisdom perfectly.
Cherntawan Buddhist Ecological Learning Center for Organic Agriculture, Chiang Rai Province
Central Tham collaborates with Pramaha Vuttichai Wachiramatee (Than W. Wachiramethi), the founder of Cherntawan International Meditation Center (Chiang Rai), and network partners to expand the Chuentawan Phuttha Niwet organic farming initiative towards "a prototype of a learning center for organic farming innovation."
Mae Tha Sustainable Organic Farming Community, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province
Collaborating with the Earth Net Foundation and a number of other organizations to promote and support various aspects to make the Mae Tha Sustainable Living Project as a model project on an area of 9 rai (3.56 square meters).
Bhu Chee Duen Forest Preserving Coffee, Chiang Rai Province
Bhu Chee Duen is an origin of single and natural organic Arabica coffee cultivated with care under preserved trees for the healthy growth of coffee trees and the sustainability of the environment and the community.
The Ban Kut Chik Indigo-dyed Fabric Community, Sakon Nakhon Province
In collaboration with the Department of Community Development to support the development of the Ban Kut Chik weaving group, with an emphasis on cooperation between communities and organizations to find strengths and uniqueness. In addition, the community plants cotton and indigo to produce natural colors on their own.
The Learning Center for Agricultural Product Development and Community Products, Ban Theppana, Thep Sathit District, Chaiyaphum Province
Help farmers in the area earn more income by approaching sustainable agriculture. Hass Mexican avocados are the community's primary product which is the best breed in the world. Growing Hass avocados was started for sustainable agriculture and to help farmers in the area earn more income. Avocados are valuable cash crops with high demand in both domestic and foreign markets.
Other philanthropy activities
- Thailand
In 2020, Central Group donated 68 million USD to help Thai people during COVID-19 pandemic.
- Vietnam
In 2017, Central Group presented gifts to 3,600 disadvantaged children. In 2020, Central Group donated 70,000 medical masks and 9,000 anti-drop glasses to two leading hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Hanoi and National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Ho Chi Minh. Central Group presented 4 medical rooms for negative pressure isolation treatment, isolation support, and treatment of COVID-19 patients.
See also
- Big C
- Chirathivat family
- Robinson Department Store
- Tops Supermarket, grocery chain owned by Central
References
- "Achievements: Employees". Central Group. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- Ono, Yukako (10 September 2017). "For Thailand's retail giant Central Group, it is no longer all in the family". Nikkei Asian Review. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
- "Central Marina | Central Pattana (CPN)". www.centralpattana.co.th. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- "Central i-City". www.cpn.co.th. Retrieved 2018-10-22.
- "CENTRAL GROUP on Instagram: "[#CGUPDATE] เปลี่ยนคุณให้เป็นอีกคน เริ่มต้นความสนุกครั้งใหม่ กับ ZEN ที่เปลี่ยนชื่อเป็น CENTRAL @ centralwOrld แล้ววันนี้ #CENTRALGroup…"". Instagram. Archived from the original on 2021-12-24. Retrieved 2019-11-29.
- https://cdn1.imggmi.com/uploads/2019/1/11/165036cfccfa2a903e76c48f38a18f1d-full.png
- "Store Location". Robinson Department Store. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- "Hospitality".
- "Financial Services & FinTech". www.centralgroup.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- "Central Tham Projects". www.centralgroup.com. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
- ""เซ็นทรัล" ตอบจม.นายกฯ ควัก 2 พันล้าน ช่วยโควิด-19". 5 May 2020.
- "Central Group Việt Nam và Big C tặng 3.600 phần quà cho trẻ em nhân ngày thiếu nhi".
- "Central Group tặng 70.000 khẩu trang y tế và 9.000 kính chống giọt bắn cho bệnh viện". 16 April 2020.
External links
Categories:- Articles with bare URLs for citations from May 2022
- Central Group
- Retail companies of Thailand
- Real estate companies of Thailand
- Hospitality companies of Thailand
- Companies based in Bangkok
- Conglomerate companies established in 1947
- 1947 establishments in Thailand
- Hospitality companies established in 1947
- Retail companies established in 1947