| Type | Public |
|---|---|
| Traded as | SET: BIGC |
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Headquarters | Bangkok, Thailand |
| Area served | Thailand, Vietnam, Laos |
| Key people | Suthichart Chirathivat, Chairman Yves Bernard Braibant, CEO Praphan Eamrungroj, EVP |
| Products | Discount Stores, Grocery Stores, Hypermarkets |
| Revenue | ฿ 61.45 billion (2010) |
| Net income | ฿ 2,088 million (2010) |
| Website | bigc.co.th TH bigc.vn VN |
Big C, or Big C Supercenter (Thai: บิ๊กซี ซูเปอร์เซ็นเตอร์), is a grocery and general merchandising retailer headquartered in Bangkok, Thailand. It is the leading hypermarket chain in Thailand, managed under the umbrella of Groupe Casino. It has operations in three countries, namely Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
The company was founded by Central Group in 1993 and opened its first store in Wong Sawang intersection, Bangkok, under the brand of Central Superstore, a Central Department Store subsidiary. It was first listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1995.
Central Group opened the Central Superstore at the Wong Sawang intersection in 1993 as a Central Department Store subsidiary. It began selling groceries from Central Supermarket and private label clothing from Central Department Store and Central Trading, under the self-service store concept. The Big C brand was first launched on 15 January 1994, the name being an abbreviation of "Big Central". The first Big C store was opened on Chaengwattana Road in Bangkok.
Save One Rangsit was changed to the Big C Supercenter in 1995, and was the chain's first store outside Bangkok. The same year, Central Superstore Company Limited changed its name to Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited, and was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET code: BIGC) with S.K. Garment PLC holding a majority stake.
Big C launched the single floor store concept at Bangphlee in 1996, integrating a super center with the enormous floor space of 12,000 square meters and a well-designed layout and decorations to facilitate shopping convenience. The highly efficient design function contributed significantly to lower operating costs.
After the Asian financial crisis of 1997, Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited decided to form a business alliance with France-based Groupe Casino, known for its Géant stores. Groupe Casino bought 530 million shares of a capital increase in 1999, making them the largest shareholder after the company's recapitalization. After securing the controlling stake in Big C, Groupe Casino decided to sell Big C's entire garment business in order to concentrate only on the retail activity and strengthen the efficiency of the current operation.
Big C extended its opening times to 8:00 a.m. to midnight and launched the Big C website in 2000. Two years later, Big C launched a hard-discount supermarket chain, Leader Price by Big C, an affiliate store similar to the Leader Price brand of Groupe Casino. In the same year, Big C launched its first credit card, Big C Credit Card, and Big C Hire-Purchase. Big C Foundation (Thai: มูลนิธิบิ๊กซี) was also launched in 2002, with its main objectives including providing necessary assistance and support for children in terms of education, and offering opportunities for education to those suffering as a result of social abuses or the drug trade.[1]
Big C developed and expanded the Compact Store store concept in 2005. Compact Stores each require an investment of between ฿300 million and ฿400 million, and have an average retail space of 5,000-6,000 square metres, whereas Big C's standard stores have retail space of about 10,000 square metres and require an investment of between ฿600 million and ฿700 million.[2] In May 2005, the Big C Shopper Card was launched, which was a hire-purchase card.
In 2006, Leader Price by Big C was remodeled into Mini Big C (Thai: มินิบิ๊กซี), a convenience store offering 24-hour service. Big C launched yet another new brand store format in July 2010 called Big C Junior (Thai: บิ๊กซี จูเนียร์), which is sized midway between a compact store and a supermarket.
Big C first expanded outside Thailand in 2004 by opening a store in Vietnam. Groupe Casino had started supermarkets under the name of Casino Supermarket in Vietnam in 1998, but the operation was unsuccessful, lacking recognition and support from Vietnamese shoppers. The Casino Supermarket in Vietnam was rebranded as a Big C store, and all Casino stores in Vietnam were remodeled to the same store format as in Thailand. In 2010 Big C announced in Thailand that it would open its first store in Laos, inside The New Taladsao Shopping at Vientiane, in December 2011.[3][4][5][6][7]
In November 2010, Big C won a bid to buy the 42 Carrefour branches in Thailand for €868 million (35.4 billion baht). After the acquisition, Groupe Casino, whose Thai subsidiary is Big C Supercenter Public Company Limited, owned 111 hypermarkets against Tesco's 87. However, if other retail formats are included, Tesco is larger with some 704 stores nationwide.[8]
Big C and Carrefour branches in Thailand had their first co-promotion in January 2011, before Carrefour Thailand stores were rebranded to Big C. And in March 2011, Carrefour Suwintawong was the first Carrefour store to be rebranded as a Big C.
On 19 May 2010, Big C Rajdamri 2 (Metropolis) Branch was severely damaged when Red Shirt anti-government protestors set it alight. The renovated branch reopened on 2 February 2011. In May 2011, Big C changed the name of Big C Junior to Big C Market (Thai: บิ๊กซี มาเก็ต) and launched a premium hypermarket store brand called Big C Extra (Thai: บิ๊กซี เอ็กซ์ตร้า). The first Big C Extra was opened in Ladprao, formerly having been known as Carrefour Ladprao. Big C opened a Big C Jumbo (Thai: บิ๊กซี จัมโบ้), which is bigger than the regular hypermarket format for wholesalers and shopkeepers, in June 2011. The first store was the Big C Jumbo Samrong. In October 2011, Big C rebranded bill payment services to Big C Big Service, operate systems by Counter Service (CP All, parent company of 7-Eleven in Thailand) and M pay (AIS, mobile phone operator of GSM Advance and 1-2-Call in Thailand).
Big C (Thai: บิ๊กซี) is a hypermarket/supercenter brand format, which sells consumer products and foodstuffs.The stores have five main sale categories: fresh food, dry foods, clothing, home decor and electrical appliances.
Their store formats include:
Big C Extra (Thai: บิ๊กซี เอ็กซ์ตร้า) is a new brand concept, which was rolled out in May 2011. Big C Extra outlets are premium hypermarket stores, with the concept being "bigger and better". The first store, a renovated former Carrefour property, opened on Lat Phrao Road, having formerly been known as Carrefour Ladprao. The Stores are different from the normal stores of Big C with better services, higher quality products and imported products under the brand of Casino.
Big C Jumbo (Thai: บิ๊กซี จัมโบ้) is bigger than the normal Big C store format, and is designed for wholesalers and shopkeepers. The first Big C Jumbo outlet opened near Phuchao Saming Phray intersection on 20 June 2011, having formerly been known as Carrefour Samrong.
Big C Market (Thai: บิ๊กซี มาเก็ต), or Big C Junior (Thai: บิ๊กซี จูเนียร์), is a smaller Big C Supercenter format. It is sized between a compact store and a general supermarket. The first such store in Saraburi was opened on 5 July 2010, inside Tawekit Complex shopping mall, under the brand of Big C Junior. After merging with Carrefour of Thailand, Big C changed some Carrefour properties to the Big C Junior format. On 17 May 2011, Big C announced a change of name of this format from Big C Junior changed to Big C Market.
Mini Big C (Thai: มินิบิ๊กซี) is a convenience store format offering 24-hour service. The average size of a Mini Big C store is around 80-120 square meters, which is smaller than Tesco Lotus Express and Carrefour City.
Pure by Big C (Thai: เพียว บาย บิ๊กซี) is a health and beauty store chain, similar to Watsons and Boots outlets. It sells prescription medicines, supplements, and herbal, cosmetics and personal care products.
Big Cup by Big C (Thai: บิ๊กคัพ บาย บิ๊กซี) or Sandwich Land is a low price fast food counter chain. It serving hot and fresh fast foods, such as; sandwichs, hamburgers, hot dogs, dim sums, popcorns, fruit juices and other beverages. This store sell products lower price than other fast food brands in the served country around 5%-30%. In Thailand, This store used Big Cup by Big C brand and Sandwich Land served for Vietnamese customers.
B Bread by Big C (Thai: บี เบรด บาย บิ๊กซี) is a small shop-in-shop bakery. It serving fresh and high quality bread, cakes, buns, crackers, pretzels, pastries, cookies, biscuits, cupcakes, pies, doughnuts, mooncakes, sun cakes, egg tarts, wife cakes and other seasonal baking goods. In Some shops have Café, serving fresh coffee, green tea, fresh milk and frappe fruit juices.
B Pizza by Big C (Thai: บี พิซซ่า บาย บิ๊กซี) is pizza corner and delivery, serving hot, fresh and high quality pizzas. The Customers can take order and free delivery by phone. Today, B Pizza by Big C opened full corner at only Hai Phong, Vietnam but corners in Thailand go down to sub-counter of B Bread by Big C.
Leader Price by Big C (Thai: ลีดเดอร์ไพรซ์ บาย บิ๊กซี) was a hard-discount supermarket chain, which was launched in March 2002. The store format was similar to the Leader Price brand of Groupe Casino, and the store size was around 150-500 square meters. Leader Price by Big C sold own-brand products as well as some leader brand products but not in all categories. After 2005, Big C remodeled this brand into Mini Big C (Thai: มินิบิ๊กซี). Before remodeling this brand, Leader Price by Big C had five stores in Thailand, namely in Wongwian Yai, Asoke-Sukhumvit, Nawanakhon, Pracha Songkhro and Senanikhom.
Big C Town Center (Thai: บิ๊กซีทาวน์เซ็นเตอร์) is a shopping format offering rental spaces. It has several formats, for example, shopping center, community mall, power center, lifestyle center, etc. In the shopping area the Big C Town Center will have a Big C store and four main shop-categories, that is, restaurants, entertainment, specialty stores and services.
The main objectives of the Big C Foundation (Thai: มูลนิธิบิ๊กซี) include providing necessary assistance and support for children in terms of education, and offering opportunities for education to those suffering as a result of social abuses or the drug trade.
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