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Tag: Thailand

  • Thai univeristy opens Alibaba e-commerce training center

    Thai univeristy opens Alibaba e-commerce training center

    The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has become an authorized Alibaba e-commerce training center in Thailand.

    Both organizations said they will work to accelerate e-commerce growth in Thailand and help Thai SMEs position themselves in the global market.

    Several collaborative programs, including training the trainers, have already been implemented. A team of Alibaba personnel has coached UTCC faculty members in the School of Business and the School of Science and Technology, among others, to become certified Alibaba trainers.

    These trainers, in turn, are now ready to train Thai SMEs, entrepreneurs and UTCC students to run businesses on Alibaba.com.

    UTCC said it can train more than 5,000 individuals per year, which would help create more e-commerce-minded entrepreneurs and allow more SMEs to expand their businesses internationally.

    “Thai SMEs can potentially drive Thailand’s economy. They just need opportunities to do so. UTCC is now taking the lead to open the door of opportunities for those who aim to take their B2B businesses to another level,” said UTCC President and Associate Professor Dr. Sauwanee Thairungroj.

    Jerry Wu, Alibaba’s country manager in Thailand, said the company sees great potential in products from Thailand and hopes to train Thai SMEs to compete effectively on the global stage through e-commerce.

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  • Thailand to adopt fingerprint registration for SIMs

    Thailand to adopt fingerprint registration for SIMs

    Thailand’s National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has revealed plans to require all mobile operators to introduce an online fingerprint ID system for prepaid and postpaid mobile SIM registrations.

    The regulator has given a tentative deadline of February for operators to support mandatory fingerprint ID registration.

    NBTC officials told the publication that the system is designed to ensure greater security in mobile banking and reduce the risk of fraud as Thailand continues to transition to a cashless society.

    Around 14 million of Thailand’s 103 million mobile subscribers are already using mobile banking services, according to the report.

    According to the report, while the operators will be required to implement a fingerprint registration system to complement their existing mandatory SIM registration systems, mobile customers will not be required to submit their fingerprints. The fingerprints will be stored on an NBTC database server.

    The fingerprint system was developed by the Engineering Faculty of Kasetsart University, which won a tender to supply the system for 15 million baht ($421,000).

    Operators will be able to deduct the costs of implementing the system from their annual universal service obligation fee, which amounts to around 3.5% of operators’ total revenue.

  • Uncertainty Marks The Year End For Thailand

    Uncertainty Marks The Year End For Thailand

    The non-ceasing political disturbance and reigning uncertainty is dominating every aspect of life in Thailand since the King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s death on October 13. The Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn is supposed to appear for an audition as a heir to the throne after he had been invited to become the next King by the parliament. The deeply divided society, depressed under the rule of the military junta, needs reconciliation.

    The macro view from the long-term perspective for Thailand is rather worrying, notwithstanding the country’s status of oil and gas producer. Its own natural resources are not proving to be large enough to count on to satisfy the growing domestic demand. The oil reserves are on the way to extinction, and the capacities of the robust gas production are not sufficient to compensate for overtaking consumption. Thailand has turned into a net gas importer and faces increasing reliance on oil imports as well.

    The import curve reflects an intermittent character of oil cargo inflows, it remains unclear they are at all affected by the event of the King’s passing followed by the mourning period.

    More than a half the crude shipments are originated in the Middle East, with zero contribution by Iran. Although it is predictable that in not so remote a future the once rogue member of OPEC will find its way to squeeze into the Thai market anyway.

    The state-owned PTT and its refining unit Thai Oil have reported strong 3rd quarter profits, overshadowing the forecasts. Forex gains and favourable refining margins helped to reverse losses suffered in 2015.

    PTT is currently undergoing some restructuring splitting off its retail business unit, which is due to be renamed as PTT Oil and Retail Business Co Ltd (PTTTOR) to be listed eventually on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The move is aimed to react to shrinking tolerance of fluent markets to inflexibility typical for inert government-controlled institutions.

    In the 1st quarter of 2017, Thai authorities were supposed to open for bids 29 onshore and offshore concessions for gas and oil production. But the first auction since 2007 was postponed again, and will be only completed in 2018. The existing contracts held by Chevron Corp and PTT Exploration and Production are due in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

    Previously, PTT announced plans to sign 15-year contracts with Royal Dutch Shell and BP to secure supplies of liquefied natural gas. The 5 million tons capacity of Map Ta Put LNG import terminal in the Gulf of Thailand will be doubled by March 2017. The current long-term deal with Qatar is ensuring some 2 million tons a year.

    More gas is being pumped in via the ASEAN pipeline from Thai-Malaysia joint offshore development area. This type of cooperation sets an example to follow in a region where territorial disputes have long been the cause of dormancy for many downstream projects.

    However, the Thai authorities will have to lose sleep over the challenging task to pursue the investors’ money. Any wrongdoing might provoke the capital outflow, then it will take a lot of effort to make the country attractive for investment again. To be updated soon.

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  • Alfamart Philippines plans 120 stores

    Alfamart Philippines plans 120 stores

    Alfamart Philippines is set for major expansion with funding secured for as many as 120 new stores.

    Alfamart Philippines is set for major expansion with funding secured for as many as 120 new convenience stores.

    Minority parent company Sumber Alfaria Trijaya already operates 44 stores in the Philippines in a joint venture with SM Retail, through its local subsidiary Alfamart Retail Asia. That company has secured local financing to fund the expansion, which will cost an estimated US$3.8 million.

    The Philippine roll-out is part of  a broader expansion plan for Sumber Alfaria Trijaya which will open 1200 stores in Indonesia this year. Currently, it has 10,086 stores in its home market, including 2958 which are franchised.

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  • Spar Thailand launching 300 stores

    Spar Thailand launching 300 stores

    An agreement has just been signed that will lead to more than 300 Spar Thailand food retail stores opening over the next four years.

    It is part of a €102 million (US$108 million) investment by Netherlands-based Spar International, which has partnered with Bangchak Retail Company (BCR).

    spar-thai
    Spar International has more than 12,100 stores worldwide and had global retail sales of €33 billion last year. It works in partnership with independent retailers to share global scale and expertise.

    BCR plans to open seven stores this year, comprising key flagship convenience stores and neighbourhood developments. From next year the company plans to open 50 to 80 stores annually, creating up to 2500 jobs.

    Under the partnership, Spar is sharing industry expertise including best practice across supply chain, staff training, retail design and brand development strategy.

    “The launch of Spar in Thailand in partnership with BCR represents a significant and important step forward in our ongoing expansion into Asian markets,” says Spar International MD Tobias Wasmuht. “Today, we have a significant multi-format presence including hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience and online in China, India and Indonesia.”

    BCR MD Viboon Wongsakul says Spar and BCR share many key values “such as a dedication to growth, a commitment to local suppliers, supporting communities and offering diverse retail solutions”.

    As a shared core value, BCR and Spar focus on supporting the communities in which they have a presence. During the development of the flagship stores, special focus is being given to the ability to source produce and product locally.

    Spar International has been working with BCR on the development and launch of a national range of own-brand products.

    Formed this year, BCR is affiliated with energy company The Bangchak Petroleum Public Company. As well as the Spar portfolio, BCR will expand its Inthanin Coffee and Lemon Kitchen brands.

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  • Jamie’s Italian opens its first restaurant in Thailand at the ­renovated Siam Discovery

    Jamie’s Italian opens its first restaurant in Thailand at the ­renovated Siam Discovery

    Jamie’s Italian opens its first restaurant in Thailand at the newly ­renovated Siam Discovery, situated in the heart of Bangkok. This rustic Italian restaurant, serving delicious food at an affordable price, is proudly brought to you by Hotel Properties Limited and Siam Piwat.

    Jamie’s Italian began as a partnership between Jamie Oliver and his mentor, Gennaro Contaldo. The first restaurant opened in 2008 in Oxford and there are now 42 Jamie’s Italian outlets in the UK and over 25 internationally, including Australia, Dubai, Brazil and Singapore.

    As with all Jamie’s Italian outlets, the Siam Discovery restaurant will remain committed to sourcing only the best free-range, higher welfare meat and sustainable and ethically produced ingredients. All the recipes are Italian classics with a Jamie twist, including fresh pasta made on site every day. The restaurant will also work closely with fantastic Thai farmers and suppliers to showcase local produce.

    MENU HIGHLIGHTS

    Menu highlights at Jamie’s Italian Siam Discovery will include the famous antipasti planks, perfect for sharing. Placed on large wooden boards supported by tins of tomatoes, the impressive platter allows guests to pick from a wide selection of meats, cheeses, vegetables and pickles.

    All Jamie’s Italian restaurants serve fresh pasta made in the restaurant, every day. The Siam Discovery restaurant will feature a range of popular pasta dishes, including Gennaro’s Tagliatelle Bolognese, made to his recipe, Silky spaghetti carbonara and Fresh crab spaghetti. The prawn linguine is a Jamie’s Italian classic, loved worldwide.

    Also on offer will be beautiful artisan pizza dough, made by hand, and proved for hours before being hand ­stretched to create an irresistibly crisp base. The simple but classic Margherita, and Funghi, with seasonal mushrooms, are just a few of the pizzas on offer.

    A selection of Italian-inspired main courses is also on offer, including the Tuscan-style Chicken al mattone– chicken is cooked under a brick, ensuring that the chicken is pushed further against the grates of the grill, producing a smoky flavour, with an addictively crisp skin. The Jamie’s Italian burger, a signature main dish, and the Grilled pork chop served with crispy crackling, are also must-try dishes. For those looking for a lighter meal, the Classic super food salad is a super-fresh combination of avocado, roasted beets, mixed pulses & grains, broccolini, fennel, pomegranate & spicy seeds with harissa dressing & artisan ricotta.

    A favourite among families, Jamie’s Italian will also be bringing its award-winning kids’ menu to Thailand. Awarded the best kids’ menu in the UK by The SOIL Association in 2013, there’s a choice of 2 two sizes for different age groups, with all the meals nutritionally balanced. It comes with a viewfinder menu and colouring sheets to keep the kids entertained.

    If you love your Jamie’s Italian experience, don’t forget to take a bit home with you. Jamie’s Italian Siam Discovery will also stock a wide range of Jamie’s cook books and the restaurant’s signature napkins, as well as gifts, allowing you to recreate your Jamie’s Italian experience at home.

    THE INTERIOR

    Every Jamie’s Italian restaurant is designed to be easily accessible with a warm and comfortable feel and incorporates the personality of the city it’s in. Siam Discovery’s design takes inspiration from its location to create a friendly, neighborhood restaurant that the whole family can enjoy.

    With 184 covers, the restaurant will boast a tasteful mix of rustic, reclaimed timber refectory tables, industrial ­chic zinc tables and vintage upholstered lounge chairs, with monochromatic and hand­-painted floral tile flooring. To add warmth, the dining area will be illuminated with brass spotlights, vintage enamel shades and a textured glass chandelier.

    The creative use of space allows guests to view the open kitchen,  watch their antipasti planks being made before their eyes at the antipasti counter in the main dining room, or hang out for a pre or post- meal tipple at Jamie’s Bar.

    READY TO WELCOME YOU

    Welcoming you to the first Jamie’s Italian restaurant in Thailand is General Manager Sarah Smith, winner of the Jamie’s Italian International Rising Star award for 2015/2016. She has worked closely with Head Chef, Alex Barman and local staff to make sure that the new restaurant is ready to receive guests.

    Jamie Oliver said: “Taking Jamie’s Italian to Thailand is incredibly exciting for me. Bangkok is a vibrant and buzzing city with a great food scene and we can’t wait to be a part of it. We’ll be sourcing lots of beautiful, top-quality produce from fantastic local suppliers, and making food that we just know you’re going to love. Come down and visit soon!”

    For more information please visit our website www.jamiesitalian.co.th

     

  • GoSwiff Partners UnionPay International to Increase Mobile Transactions in Thailand

    GoSwiff Partners UnionPay International to Increase Mobile Transactions in Thailand

    GoSwiff, a global leader in digital payments, announced a partnership with UnionPay International (UPI), a global payment network, to enable merchants on Nimmanahaeminda Road in Chiang Mai to accept UnionPay cards. Using GoSwiff’s mobile point of sale (mPOS) solution, micro merchants can now accept and process secure PIN-based card transactions in Thailand.

    Merchants and shoppers on Nimmanahaeminda Road, a street popular with both locals and tourists visiting Chiang Mai, will reap significant advantages with the launch of mPOS. Merchants will benefit from the convenience of digital payments, while consumers can pay with their UnionPay cards, minimizing foreign exchange costs from ATM withdrawals and reducing the risk of carrying cash. All the banks within the UPI network can now connect to mPOS, and leverage NFC, HCE and PIN payments for the first time in Thailand.

     “We see great benefits in this partnership with GoSwiff in the Thai market,” said Wenhui Yang, General Manager, UnionPay International, Southeast Asia. “We are not only enabling small merchants to accept micro-payments securely, but also supporting our customers who prefer to pay with cards. With the help of our contactless mobile payment solution, we are confident this will lead to a wider adoption of cashless payments in Thailand and Southeast Asia alike.”

    On Nimmanahaeminda Road, small and mobile merchant stalls are not able yet to provide PIN-based card acceptance through regular electronic data capture platforms. There are constraints on telephone and electricity lines and investment requirements on the bank’s side.

    “Thailand has seen an enormous increase in mobile payment acceptance in recent years thanks to the very active approach from the banks to roll out mPOS services to their clients. The Bank of Thailand has encouraged all debit cards to include a PIN code, which will create even more interest from the merchants to use mPOS”, said Svyatoslav Garal, Head of Asia Pacific and CIS, GoSwiff. “We have implemented mobile payment solutions for banks and Mobile Network Operators across the globe and boosted electronic payments in the emerging markets. The payment ecosystem greatly benefits from our mPOS solution with UnionPay, as well as the expansion of payment acceptance locations, especially in countries where the card penetration is increasing.”

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  • Triumph Motorcycles sees easy ride as market hums

    Triumph Motorcycles sees easy ride as market hums

    Despite murky economic prospects, British manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles remains upbeat about sales prospects in Thailand this year because of lower retail prices and a growing big-bike market.

    According to Jakkrapong Santirat, general manager of Triumph Motorcycles Thailand, Triumph’s sales fared well after Leicestershire-based Triumph took over the dealership network in Thailand last year.

    Through its wholly owned subsidiary Triumph Motorcycles Thailand, the company since last November has handled not only manufacturing but all aspects of the business, including sales and marketing activity, in coordination with distributors such as Britbike.

    Britbike is owned by Dom Hetrakul, an actor who became the first authorised dealer of Triumph motorcycles in 2007.

    Last year, Triumph reported domestic sales of 1,512 units, compared with just 292 in 2014.

    Mr Jakkrapong said the company is feeling more confident it will achieve sales of 2,400 units this year, after selling 2,112 in the January-October period.

    “The British parent firm has been working closely with its wholly-owned manufacturer in Thailand to make all retail prices more attractive,” he said. “All Triumph models sold in the Thai market have seen prices drop by about 30%.”

    Mr Jakkrapong said Triumph’s market share in Thailand has grown significantly to 40%, up from 25% last year.

    In keeping with the growing big-bike market, he expected Triumph would be able to maintain annual sales growth rate of 5-10%.

    Triumph entered Thailand in 2002, opening its first factory in May 2002 to make motorcycle components such as frames, fuel tanks, header systems, swinging arms, engine covers and chrome-plated parts.

    A second factory opened in 2006 with a painting facility and assembly line, and a third plant, opened in 2007, includes high-pressure die casting and machining.

    All three factories are at the Amata Nakorn Industrial Estate in Chon Buri.

    The company employs 1,100 workers in Thailand. Existing facilities make up half of total production capacity of 80,000 units a year.

    All Triumph motorcycles are made at its Thai facilities, using 50-60% local content. Triumph also ships its Thai-made motorcycles to more than 40 countries.

    Triumph’s Thai facilities, with a combined investment of more than 3 billion baht, are the only facilities offering completely built-up production outside of Britain, representing 65-70% of Triumph sales worldwide.

    In Thailand, Triumph runs eight sales outlets nationwide, including its latest showroom that opened last week in Bang Na district.

  • Airports of Thailand sees nine-month commercial revenue climb

    Airports of Thailand sees nine-month commercial revenue climb

    Airports of Thailand saw non-aeronautical revenue climb 21.34% to Bt3.83bn ($107m) in the first nine months of 2016, mainly as a consequence of an increasing number of flights and passengers.

    Revenue generated from duty-free sales increased by Bt934m, with the majority of non-aeronautical attributed to concession revenues. Non-aeronautical revenue represented also 43% of the total revenue share.

    Concession revenue represented Bt13.62bn in the nine months of 2016, up 16.1% year-on-year from the Bt11.73bn registered in the same period of 2015.

    Total revenues grew by Bt7.27bn up to September 30 this year, while generating net profit of Bt19.57bn, up Bt842m or 4.5% from the same period last year.

    Photo of AOT 2

    Photo of AOT

  • Grey Goose limited edition lands at Bangkok

    Grey Goose limited edition lands at Bangkok

    Bacardi Global Travel Retail has entered into a two-month promotion with the King Power International Group Thailand, where the partners are selling a new GTR exclusive Bangkok Limited Edition gift-pack at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in the run up to Christmas.

    In a statement, Bacardi said: “Running in two prominent in-store locations from 1 November to 31 December 2016 with dedicated branded space and a strong focus on gifting, the shopper campaign will have high visibility to the large volume of passengers expected to depart through the airport in November and December.

    FULL RANGE IS BEING FEATURED

    “A specialist team of Grey Goose retail ambassadors will lead the interaction with shoppers to encourage conversion across the full range of Grey Goose vodka, including Grey Goose Interpreted by Ducasse and Grey Goose VX.”

    Grey Goose Bangkok KPIG2 Nov 2016This is the first promotion of its kind between Bacardi and KPIG at Bangkok.

    APPEALING TO THE SOUTH EAST ASIAN COCKTAIL TREND

    This represents Bacardi’s first major campaign at Suvarnabhumi Airport, with the company adding that Grey Goose is currently the best selling vodka brand and the fastest growing top five spirit brand in travel retail according to respected analysts, IWSR.

    “It’s very likely that our more discerning shoppers will have seen Grey Goose on the shelves of Bangkok’s finest cocktail bars and so there’s an instant synergy with this in-store promotion. Equally, there’s huge appeal to present this global brand to the growing number of Asian shoppers embracing the new trend of home cocktail-making.”Commenting on the event, Pichai Pitakchaisuk, Executive Vice President at King Power said: “We are very excited to bring Grey Goose to life in-store at a time when super-premium vodka is enjoying enormous popularity thanks in particular to the growing appeal of cocktails and white spirits in South East Asia.

    Adding his comments, Vinay Golikeri, Regional Director Asia Pacific and Middle East Africa, Bacardi Global Travel Retail said: “The bespoke Grey Goose Bangkok Limited Edition gift-pack is a GTR exclusive which we are proud to launch in partnership with King Power Thailand.

    “Based on past experience, Grey Goose is proven to drive sales where it is given the optimal space, range and activation and we are very excited about what this campaign will deliver with King Power in Bangkok.”

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  • Tesco Thailand ‘not for sale’

    Tesco Thailand ‘not for sale’

    Tesco Thailand is not for sale, the parent company’s CEO Dave Lewis has committed during a visit to Bangkok. “I’m here to look at the expansion plans.”

    After Tesco UK sold off its Malaysian subsidiary in 2015 and its Turkish operation earlier this year, there was considerable speculation the Thai operation may also be divested as the embattled retailer repaid mounting debts and restored its balance sheet.

    But in recent quarters the company has reported improving sales and margins and the Tesco Lotus operation in Thailand – which now boasts 1800 outlets ranging from hypermarkets to convenience stores – performs strongly in the group’s remaining portfolio covering 11 markets.

    Lewis, on a visit to Thailand, says the company now plans to increase its investment in the country during the next few years and sees growing opportunities there.

    “What you will see over the next three to five years is continued investment,” Lewis said in an interview. “If anything, we have an opportunity to invest more now than in the past.”

    He categorically denied the chain may be sold.

    “I want to be very clear – our commitment to Southeast Asia, our commitment to Thailand is absolute and not changing. The business is not for sale.”

    Lewis said that Tesco wants to expand its store formats to serve as marketplaces for small businesses and communities.

    “If you look at the history of Tesco, this is how we built our business in the UK,” he said. “Our relationships with suppliers go back 50, 60, 70 years. They have grown as we have grown. So one of the things that we think we can do well is incubate and grow businesses.”

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  • Thai Kasikornbank, IBM join forces on blockchain network

    Thai Kasikornbank, IBM join forces on blockchain network

    Thailand’s Kasikornbank Pcl has joined with the Thai unit of International Business Machines Corp to develop blockchain services in a bid to save costs and speed up transaction process, the companies said on Thursday.

    Kasikornbank will be the first Thai bank to apply the blockchain technology and aims to start the services in the first half of 2017, Somkid Jiranuntarat, vice chairman of Kasikornbank’s technology group, told reporters.

    Kasikornbank is also in talks with other Thai banks to share the blockchain network, he said.

    Blockchain is a web-based transaction-processing and settlement system whose efficiency banks say could slash costs. It creates a “golden record” of any given set of data that is automatically replicated for all parties in a secure network, eliminating any need for third-party verification.

    Financial services companies around the world have been focusing on developing blockchain technology, with advocates saying it has the potential to save billions of dollars in costs and speed up transaction times.

    The technology will be used to certify original documents by using IBM’s Hyperledger infrastructure. At the initial stage, a system called OriginCert API is used to certify letters of guarantee (LG), which helps simplify and speed up the LG issuance process for customers, according to a joint statement.

    Kasikornbank, Thailand’s fourth-largest lender by assets, is the leader in digital banking with a market share of almost 40 percent. It aimed to spend 5 billion baht ($143 million) to develop information technology, it said in April.

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  • Spar International Expands in Thailand

    Spar International Expands in Thailand

    SPAR International (“SPAR”) and Bangchak Retail Company Limited (“BCR”), today announced a significant new partnership agreement which will see up to 300 new SPAR stores opening in Thailand by the end of 2020, as part of a €102 million investment 

    SPAR International is the world’s largest food retail voluntary chain with over 12,100 stores worldwide and global retail sales of €33 billion in 2015. SPAR presence in Asia continues to grow with the brand attracting independent partners.

    BCR plan to open 7 new stores during 2016, comprising key flagship convenience and neighbourhood developments. From 2017 the company plans to open 50-80 stores each year for the next five years with up to 2,500 jobs created in the process. BCR’s retail strategy meets customer needs, with strong market growth in the neighbourhood grocery sector in Thailand; the company anticipates retail sales of €260 million by 2020.

    The partnership with BCR will see SPAR share industry expertise with its new partner including the sharing of best practice across its supply chain, retail operations, staff training, retail design and brand development strategy. SPAR Thailand is expanding forecourt retailing stores around food purchasing moments and to achieve this initiative SPAR International worked with BCR to generate detailed store designs and layouts. Ahead of the opening of the first store, SPAR International also supported the formation of the requisite supply chain capability, introduced the SPAR culture to the teams in the stores and central office, given advice about equipment suppliers and assisted with secondments to other SPAR Partners by key team members to expand their knowledge of the SPAR Brand.

    Speaking at the official announcement of the new partnership Tobias Wasmuht, Managing Director of SPAR International said “In the last decade, SPAR International has grown from strength to strength in key strategic markets of Asia. Today, we have a significant multi-format presence including hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience and online in China, India, and Indonesia. The launch of SPAR in Thailand in partnership with BCR represents a significant and important step forward in SPAR’s ongoing expansion into Asian markets.  It brings together our internationally tried and tested retail expertise particularly in convenience and supermarket formats with the extensive knowledge of the Thai market. The partnership is a true example of the SPAR ethos in which through working together all shall benefit.”

    The new venture is being lead on the BCR side by Mr. Viboon Wongsakul, Managing Director of Bangchak Retail Company Limited. Speaking about the partnership Mr. Wongsakul said “BCR is excited to bring this new offering to customers in Thailand. SPAR and BCR share many key values such as a dedication to growth, a commitment to local suppliers, supporting communities and offering diverse retail solutions. We plan to bring local retailing to the next level and will dedicate the resources necessary to have a significant presence in the market in the shorted possible timeframe.” 

    As a shared core value, SPAR and BCR focus on supporting the communities in which they operate. During the development of the flagship stores in 2016, special focus will be given to the ability to source produce and product locally. SPAR International has a process in place for the development of own brand products by a Partner and has worked with BCR on the development and launch of a national range of own brand products.

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  • Jollibee to list Highlands Coffee in Vietnam

    Jollibee to list Highlands Coffee in Vietnam

    Jollibee Foods Corp’s subsidiary JSF Investment and its partner Viet Thai International plan to list the Highlands Coffee business on the Vietnam stock exchange.

    According to the announcement, Super Foods, the company owns 51 per cent of Highlands Coffee brand, will be listed publicly by July, 2019.

    The exact stake of the IPO has yet to be disclosed.

    Besides Highlands, Superfoods also owns and operates Pho 24 and the Hard Rock Cafe stores in Vietnam.

    After being acquired by Jollibee Food Corp in 2012 with a $25 million deal, Super Foods has rapidly expanded its Highlands chain throughout Vietnam up to 130 outlets in July.

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  • SATO Aims for Auto-ID Market Leadership in Thailand

    SATO Aims for Auto-ID Market Leadership in Thailand

    SATO, a leading global provider of Auto-ID solutions that empower workforces and streamline operations, announced its aim to become the No.1 Auto-ID company in Thailand by 2018, through development of food safety and patient safety solutions for the Thai food and healthcare industries.

    SATO, the market leader in Japan with over 75 years of Auto-ID expertise and a culture of innovation, operates in Thailand as SATO Auto-ID (Thailand) Co., Ltd. By integrating technologies from RFID to visual recognition and robotics, it seeks to support the food and healthcare industries as Thailand moves towards becoming the “Kitchen of the World” and the “Region’s Medical Hub.”

    SATO Auto-ID (Thailand) Co., Ltd. General Manager Daisuke Tatsuta said, “Speed and accuracy are keys to increase business competitiveness in today’s world and especially for Thailand as it transforms itself to become an advanced economy driven by high tech and creativity. With our strong know-how and established presence in Thailand as well as end-to-end Auto-ID solutions, SATO is well positioned to help companies make the transition to the new Thailand 4.0 economic model, streamlining the movement of assets with speed and precision.”

    A leading food safety solution provider, SATO supports food manufacturers and restaurants alike, by developing solutions that integrate labels, barcode, printers, scanners, software and aftersales support to allow companies to quickly track products and control quality to ensure food safety. 

    As the patient safety provider, SATO delivers fast and reliable identification solutions to provide precision, labor savings and peace of mind for Thai hospitals. It seeks to provide fail-safe systems of patient identification to improve caregivers’ peace of mind, which is directly connected to patient safety.

    “In 2015, we achieved 475 million baht in sales and the second highest market share among direct distributing Auto-ID companies with approximately 14%. Considering the rate of Thai economic development and our strategic focus on food and healthcare, we aim to be the No. 1 auto-ID solution provider by 2018 with sales of 745 million baht,” said Tatsuta.

    In its 15 years in Thailand, SATO has supported leading automotive clients such as Toyota, Nissan, and Isuzu. It supported the manufacturing sector with efficient stock control systems, shipping labels, labels for hazardous materials, inventory-control and scheduling systems for just-in-time manufacturing to control the supply chain. It will now grow its presence in the burgeoning food, beverage, and medical industries, utilizing know-how from success cases with clients such as CPF, Ajinomoto, Nestle, Hoya, Thai Red Cross, Samitvej, Bumrungrad Hospital and Nipro. 

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