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Tag: Makro

  • Makro Returns to Philippines with Four Greater Manila Outlets

    Makro Returns to Philippines with Four Greater Manila Outlets

    Thai wholesale operator CP Axtra has partnered with Ayala Corporation to bring Makro back to the Philippines across four commercial estates in Greater Manila.

    Under the deal, the joint venture signed lease agreements with Ayala Land for sites in Quezon City, Taguig, Laguna, and Cavite. The cash-and-carry brand returns nearly two decades after its original footprint was sold off and absorbed by rival operators.

    Four Hubs Across Greater Manila

    All four locations sit inside key transport corridors and commercial zones. In Quezon City, Makro will open at Cloverleaf at the intersection of EDSA and the North Luzon Expressway. In Taguig, the retailer will take space inside Ayala Malls Arca South to serve the capital’s southern gateway.

    Two other branches target corridors south of Metro Manila. Broadfield in Biñan, Laguna, puts Makro inside a dedicated commercial and logistics campus. Meanwhile, Evo City in Kawit, Cavite, places the brand in a fast-growing residential and commercial district.

    Rebuilding an Old Partnership

    Makro first entered the Philippine market in March 1996 through a joint venture among Dutch retailer SHV, Ayala, and the SM Group. Ayala sold its 28 percent stake in 2004. SM took full control five years later, converting all existing branches into SM Hypermarkets by 2009.

    Today, the partnership pairs Ayala with CP Axtra, the retail arm of Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group, which operates Makro wholesale centres and Lotus’s supermarkets. The Philippine market offers a strong base of small merchants, food service businesses, and bulk-buying households that CP Axtra targets across Southeast Asia.

    Makro Philippines plans to open its first two stores at Cloverleaf and Arca South between the fourth quarter of 2026 and the first quarter of 2027. Openings in Cavite and Laguna will follow.

  • Ayala Land Signs Makro Wholesale for Four Mixed-Use Luzon Estates

    Ayala Land Signs Makro Wholesale for Four Mixed-Use Luzon Estates

    Ayala Land Inc. Signed long-term lease agreements with Makro Philippines to open four large-format wholesale stores across its master-planned estates in Luzon.

    The rollout puts the wholesale brand into Cloverleaf in Quezon City, Arca South in Taguig, Broadfield in Laguna, and Evo City in Cavite.

    Lease Terms and Property Footprint

    Under the agreement, Ayala Land retains land ownership across the standalone sites in Broadfield, Evo City, and Cloverleaf. Makro will finance, construct, and operate those three locations. At the 74-hectare Arca South development in Taguig, the retailer will take space directly inside the local Ayala Mall.

    Makro Philippines operates as a joint venture between conglomerate Ayala Corp. And Thailand-based CP Axtra Public Co. Ltd., the wholesale and retail arm of Charoen Pokphand Group. The stores will sell fresh produce, dry groceries, imported lines, and nonfood merchandise to commercial buyers and retail households through physical warehouses and an integrated digital ordering platform.

    Wholesale Expansion Across Growth Corridors

    Wholesale clubs and membership formats across Southeast Asia have accelerated their push beyond central business districts to capture rising suburban grocery spend. CP Axtra has pursued international growth outside Thailand to scale its cash-and-carry model, while Ayala Land gains steady rental yields and anchor foot traffic across its mixed-use land bank.

    Development schedules now shift to site preparations at Broadfield and Evo City as Makro begins construction across the three standalone suburban plots.

  • Dutch Retail Giant Makro Revives Philippine Presence Through Thai-ayala Alliance

    Dutch Retail Giant Makro Revives Philippine Presence Through Thai-ayala Alliance

    After more than a decade of absence, Dutch wholesale retailer Makro is poised to make a comeback in the Philippine market. This return is made possible through an alliance between Thailand’s CP Axtra and Ayala Corporation.

    New Business Venture

    The collaboration has led to the creation of a new enterprise named M&Co Corp, which is tasked with running Makro stores throughout the country. The stores’ approach will prioritize offering a broad selection of both food and non-food items, catering to the needs of ordinary consumers and small business operators alike.

    Makro originally made its debut in the Philippines in 1996 through a joint effort involving SHV Holdings, Ayala, and SM Investments. Ayala subsequently sold its 28% stake to the SM Group, which then transformed the Makro outlets into its own hypermarket and supermarket formats in 2009.

    In the years since, SHV has relinquished its Asian Makro operations to CP Axtra, a subsidiary of Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group.

    Expansion Strategy

    Tanit Chearavanont, the group chief wholesale business officer at CP Axtra, expressed that this venture aligns with the company’s overarching goal to extend its operations across Southeast Asia. He noted that the Philippines stands as one of the most vibrant and rapidly developing markets within the region.

    Chearavanont elaborated, “Through this partnership, our proficiency in wholesale and retail management merges with Ayala Corp’s robust market presence, well-established customer base, and comprehensive experience in land and mall development.”

    However, further details about this business endeavor, such as its rollout plans, have yet to be revealed.

    Questions & Answers

    What is the new venture that Makro is involved in?
    The Dutch retailer is re-entering the Philippine market through a partnership with Thailand’s CP Axtra and Ayala Corporation, operating under a newly formed entity called M&Co Corp.

    What is the main focus of the Makro stores in the Philippines?
    The stores will focus on providing a wide variety of food and non-food products to meet the needs of both individual consumers and small business operators.

    What is CP Axtra’s broader strategy that this venture aligns with?
    This partnership is part of CP Axtra’s wider strategy to extend its operations across the rapidly growing and dynamic markets of Southeast Asia.

  • First Siam Makro store in Myanmar opens its doors

    First Siam Makro store in Myanmar opens its doors

    The first Siam Makro store in Myanmar has opened its doors as the Thai-based cash & carry operator eyes the fast-growing foodservice sector in the rising country Myanmar.

    Located in Myanmar, the more than 7000sqm store offers more than 10,000 lines of fresh food, dry food, and other products.

    “Makro was big, huge,” a shopper told news outlet Myanmore. “We had to book one day in advance to actually go there. There are more local products now than from Thailand. Everyone was wearing a mask when we went there. There are social distancing activities among the queuing at the entrance and each cashier.”

    The store opening was met with lengthy queues, as the brand was welcomed by local residents, despite the fact the retailer primarily serves as a wholesaler, targeting food retailers, hotels, restaurants and catering service firms.

    The Siam Makro store in Myanmar is temporarily enforcing a maximum of 250 customers per time as a social distancing measure.

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  • One step closer to Makro Siem Reap commercial centre

    One step closer to Makro Siem Reap commercial centre

    Thai cash-and-carry brand Makro is set to build a large development in Siem Reap.

    The Council for the Development of Cambodia has approved the building of a Siem Reap commercial centre which will be anchored by Makro.

    Associate director of CBRE Cambodia James Hodge said that the development reflects the modernisation of the national retail market that is following in Phnom Penh’s footsteps to develop a modern format retail to meet consumer demand.

    “Certainly a provincial town or city that benefits from high numbers of tourists will also interest retail developers. They see an opportunity to tap into another source of potential customers,” he said.

    Costs for developing the mall have been estimated at US$19 million, and will involve the creation of 179 local jobs.

    Regarding the impact on local businesses, Hodge said: “Businesses may respond by considering prices, the quality of the service or environment they offer to customers. Usually competition is a good thing for consumers as it ensures businesses remain up-to-date and listen to customers in order to remain relevant”.

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  • Thai cash and carry chain Makro in $86m acquisitions, expands in SE Asia

    Thai cash and carry chain Makro in $86m acquisitions, expands in SE Asia

    Thai listed wholesaler Siam Makro, through its subsidiary Siam Food Services, has entered agreements to acquire four food service businesses in Asia and the United Arab Emirates, for over 3 billion baht ($86 million).

    The Thai cash and carry operator said, in a regulatory filing, it will be buying 80 per cent each in these targeted companies, which are Indoguna (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Indoguna Dubai LLC and two Hong Kong-based firms Lordly Company Limited and Just Meat Company Limited.

    Siam Makro said it would use its own capital and bank loans to facilitate the acquisitions.

    The transactions are expected to “support Siam Food in expanding its business with respect to providing food services solutions to premium food supplies in Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong and in accelerating an expansion of the business to ASEAN countries,” the company stated.

    The targeted firms are engaged in a business related to Siam Food and Siam Makro operation, which is importing, exporting and distributing raw and frozen premium food supplies including Halal products and sausage and salami processing.

    In conjunction with the aim to expand in Asia, Siam Makro has also set up a $2 million joint venture in Cambodia, registered as Makro Cambodia Limited in September 2016, in which it holds 70 per cent equity.

    Siam Makro had said earlier this year that it was looking at the possibility of investing 6 billion baht to open 20 stores domestically during the year, and 3 billion baht to expand elsewhere in Southeast Asia, possibly in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

    The cash and carry chain’s parent company, CP All – controlled by business conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group, operates the 7Eleven retail outlets in Thailand. CP All is reportedly planning to bring down its major holding of 97 per cent in Siam Makro.

     

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  • German retail giant Metro to split businesses into two listed entities

    German retail giant Metro to split businesses into two listed entities

    German retail giant Metro said last week it will spin off its businesses into two separately listed units, sending its shares sharply higher.

    “The management board of Metro is preparing the creation of two independent and sector-focused companies through a demerger of the group,” Metro said in a statement.

    Metro shares were the strongest performer on the mid-cap MDAX index of the Frankfurt stock exchange on Wednesday, shooting up 7.73 per cent to €26.47 in a generally firmer market.

    A wholesale and food specialist group would be created comprising the group’s Metro, Makro and Real brands, as well as a consumer electronics products and services group centred around its Media and Saturn retail chains.

    Since there is little operational overlap between the two businesses and limited synergy effects, management felt “very strongly that a split into two independent and focused businesses would be in the best interest of all stakeholders, as it would facilitate a significant opportunity for faster and more profitable growth,” said supervisory board chief Juergen Steinemann.

    “Both entities would become individually stock-listed, with their own distinct profile, management and supervisory boards,” Metro said.

    The aim would be to give each of the companies and their respective management full control over their corporate strategies.

    “This will further increase customer focus, accelerate growth of the businesses, simplify structures and improve time-to-market and operational excellence,” it argued.

    Moreover, both entities would be able to independently pursue acquisition and partnership strategies, enabling them to define their own expansion strategies.

    Metro said its management and supervisory boards “will make a decision on the contemplated demerger of Metro group after a period of intensive consultation and review.”

    Should the boards and shareholders be in favour, “implementation of the demerger is aimed for mid-2017,” Metro said.

    “Over the past years, we have successfully revitalized our core businesses while significantly strengthening our group balance sheet,” said chief executive Olaf Koch.

    “Both our wholesale and food specialist business as well as our consumer electronics business have continued to commercially improve, are on a steady successful path and are best-equipped for an independent future,” Koch said.

    “Our shareholders would effectively own two well positioned market leaders, both of whom are increasingly focusing on their respective business areas and are generating more value for customers, employees and business partners.”

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  • Lotte Group in Indonesian confectionery push

    Lotte Group in Indonesian confectionery push

    South Korean confectionery manufacturer Lotte Group is planning an eCommerce joint venture with one of Indonesia’s largest conglomerates, the Salim Group, within the next few months with the aim of being up and running by early next year.

    This follows a new government policy on eCommerce that opens up a market of nearly 250 million people to foreign brands. According to the Korean media, the deal was formalised when Lotte Group chairman Shin Dong-bin met with Salim Group chairman Anthony Salim in Singapore during an Asia Business Council meeting.
    Under Shin, Lotte has been aggressively expanding its overseas businesses, and the Indonesian confectionery market is considered a key strategic opportunity, reports Deal Street Asia. The company hopes to secure a strong foothold in the eCommerce market through an omni-channel retailing strategy and establishing a stable delivery service via the partners’ offline stores.
    Also planning to introduce products popular in Korea, Lotte first became involved in the Indonesian market in 2008 when it acquired 10 stores of the Dutch discount chain Makro. Lotte has one department store in Indonesia and 41 retail outlets, while Salim Group has 11,000 Indomartconvenience stores. The Salim Group’s businesses cover such sectors as food, distribution, telecommunications, media, automobile manufacturing and property development.

    An eCommerce roadmap has been drafted by the Indonesian government as a basis for guidelines regulating the sector. It covers such aspects as funding, taxation, communication infrastructure, logistics, cyber security, consumer protection and education, with the aim of achieving eCommerce transaction value of $130 billion by 2020.

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