Big C

For other uses, see Big C (disambiguation).
Big C Supercenter PLC.
Big C EBH
Big C Supercenter (Laos) Co., ltd.
Public
Traded as SET: BIGC
Industry Retail
Founded 1993
Headquarters Bangkok, Thailand
Area served
Thailand, Vietnam, Laos
Key people
Suthichart Chirathivat, Chairman TH
Yves Bernard Braibant, CEO TH
Praphan Eamrungroj, EVP TH
Products Discount Stores, Grocery Stores, Hypermarkets
Revenue Increase ฿ 118.177 billion (FY2013) TH
Increase ฿ 112.136 billion (FY2012) TH
Increase ฿ 102.563 billion (FY2011) TH
Increase ฿ 70.236 billion (FY2010) TH
Increase ฿ 68.058 billion (FY2009) TH
Increase ฿ 6,976 million (FY2013) TH
Increase ฿ 6,074 million (FY2012) TH
Increase ฿ 5,242 million (FY2011) TH
Decrease ฿ 2,807 million (FY2010) TH
Increase ฿ 2,818 million (FY2009) TH
Owner Central Group
Parent Groupe Casino
Slogan More than just Low Prices!
More economical!
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.

History

Inside Big C Supercenter, flagship store in Bangkok, Thailand

Beginning

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.

1990s

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.

Merger with Groupe Casino

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.

2000s

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 Dao Khanong at night

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.

Instore Big C Dao Khanong (Standard Store format)

Go to Global Brand

Big C was used for the first time outside Thailand on the end of 2003, with the rebranding of three Cora hypermarkets in Vietnam. These stores in Vietnam were owned by the subsidiary of Vindemia, a Groupe Bourbon company in Réunion. Since then, Casino took control of Vindemia, and the banner Big C Supercenter has been continuously used for these stores in Vietnam since the end of 2003.

Big C in Vietnam

Vindemia opened its first hypermarket in Vietnam, under the Cora brand in August 1998, in the northern of Ho Chi Minh City, followed by a store in An Lac opened in March 2001, and Mien Dong one month later in the center of Ho Chi Minh City.[3]

In 2010, Big C announced in Thailand that it would open its first store in Laos, inside The New Taladsao Shopping at Vientiane, in late 2012.[4][5][6][7][8]

Acquisition of Carrefour in Thailand

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.[9]

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.

Present

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 (Thai: บิ๊กซี บิ๊กเซอร์วิส), operating systems by M pay (AIS, mobile phone operator of GSM Advance and 1-2-Call in Thailand). Big C launched Big C Call Center 1756 (Thai: ศูนย์ลูกค้าสัมพันธ์บิ๊กซี 1756) and Big C Optical (Thai: บิ๊กซี ออฟติคัล) in January 2012, at Big C Extra Rama IV, an optical chain store, operated by Better Vision (Thai: หอแว่น). In March 2012, Big C changed the name of @BIGClick to Big C Shopping Online (Thai: บิ๊กซี ช้อปปิ้ง ออนไลน์), a sub-brand of Big C Big Service, and launched co-brand store credit card, Citibank - Big C Visa Platinum (Thai: ซิตี้แบงก์ - บิ๊กซี วีซ่า แพลตตินั่ม). Big C Shopping Online launched the first full shopping online service of hypermarket in Thailand, with pay online and pick up their purchases at all Big C store, free delivery service from all Big C stores, drive-through service station - pay online and pick up their purchases at Big C Drive station, online shopping store with mobile application and online shopping store with QR Code on BTS Skytrain or other public places, in October 2012.

Brands and store formats


Big C

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

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 and Big C Jumbo Station

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.

In 2012, Big C Jumbo separated a new sub-brand, a part section of Big C standard Store. It called Big C Jumbo Station. It's smaller than full-scale, Big C Jumbo.

Big C Market Logo

Big C Market (Big C Junior)

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

Mini Big C (Thai: มินิบิ๊กซี) is a superconvenience store (SCVS), format in between the supermarket and convenience store, offering 24-hour service. The average size of a Mini Big C store is around 80-250 square meters, which is smaller than Tesco Lotus Express and Carrefour City. The stores have three main sale categories: fresh food, dry food and small convenience non-food products

Pure by Big C

Pure by Big C (Thai: เพียว บาย บิ๊กซี) is a health and beauty chain store, similar to Watsons and Boots outlets. It sells prescription medicines, supplements, and herbal, cosmetics and personal care products.

Big C Optical

Big C Optical (Thai: บิ๊กซี ออฟติคัล) is an optical chain store, which was rolled out in January 2012. In Thailand, It operated by Better Vision (Thai: หอแว่น). The first store opened in Big C Extra Rama IV.

Big Cup by Big C / Sandwich Land

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 Bar by Big C

B Bar by Big C (Thai: บี บาร์ บาย บิ๊กซี) is an electronics consultancy services corner. It services some store in Vietnam. The B Bar's customers can find instructional videos broadcasting continuously on LCD, knowledge wall, paper guides, browsing product specification, prices and close-up views in this corner.

B Bread by Big C

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

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.

B Sushi by Big C

B Sushi by Big C (Thai: บี ซูชิ บาย บิ๊กซี) is a Japanese food stall of Sushi. Big C launched this brand in 2010, opened the first food stall in Vietnam. This food stall have more than 50 kinds of sushi.

Big C Big Service

Big C Big Service (Thai: บิ๊กซี บิ๊กเซอร์วิส) is group brand of bill payment services, online top up and shopping online, launched in October 2011. The bill payment services and online top up operating systems by M pay (AIS, mobile phone operator of GSM Advance and 1-2-Call in Thailand), but shopping online operating systems by own system.

Defunct brands and store formats

Leader Price 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 / Big C Shopping Mall

Big C Town Center Dao Khanong

Big C Town Center (Thai: บิ๊กซีทาวน์เซ็นเตอร์) or Big C Shopping Mall 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.

Big C Foundation

Big C Foundation (Thai: มูลนิธิบิ๊กซี) founded on 10 May 2002, is a non-profit organization. The main objectives are 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.

List of Big C locations

Laos

Thailand

Vietnam

List of Big C Extra locations

Thailand

List of Big C Jumbo locations

Thailand

List of Big C Jumbo Station locations

Thailand

List of Big C Market (Big C Junior) locations

Thailand

List of Mini Big C locations

Thailand

  • Bangkok locations:
    • Chalam Nimit
    • Chaloem Phra Kiat
    • Chinnakhet
    • Eua Arthorn Ladkrabang 2
    • Krungthon Market
    • La Salle 24
    • Ladprao 101
    • Ladprao 112
    • Ladprao 130
    • Luang Phaeng 1
    • Luang Phaeng 5
    • Moo Ban Sahakorn
    • Nimit Mai
    • Or Ngern Market
    • Phraya Suren
    • Pattanakarn 20
    • Phetkasem 81
    • Prachachuen 12
    • Rat Pattana
    • Safari World

  • Senanikhom - Remodeled from Leader Price by Big C store.
  • Seri Thai 41
  • Soi Nong Yai
  • Soi Onnuch 17
  • Soi Puengmee 17
  • Sukhaphiban 2
  • Udomsuk - The first Mini Big C store.
  • Udomsuk 51
  • Watcharapol
  • Wat Nawong
  • Wongwaen Center

  • Nonthaburi Province locations:
    • Buathong Village
    • Eua Arthorn Wat Koo
    • Muangthong Thani
    • Phra Pin 3
    • Prueksa Village 3

  • Tha It
  • Thipphimarn
  • Urban Square - formerly known as Carrefour City Urban Square.

  • Pathum Thani Province locations:
    • Bang Khan Market
    • Eua Arthorn Khlong 1
    • Nana Charoen
    • Nawanakhon - Remodeled from Leader Price by Big C store.
    • Pier Nont

  • Rangsit Khlong 2
  • Rattanakosin
  • Soi Khunpra
  • Suchart Market
  • Sue Trong Village

  • Soi Bearing 34
  • Soi Poon Charoen
  • Soi Srisamith
  • Wat Namdaeng

List of Pure by Big C locations

Thailand

List of Big C Optical locations

Thailand

List of Big C Drive locations

Thailand

References

  1. "About Big C Foundataion". Retrieved 2012-07-09.
  2. "BigC Compact Stores News". The Nation. Retrieved 2005-11-10.
  3. "Groupe Bourbon Annual Report 2003".
  4. Big C (22 September 2011). "Clarifying news regarding investment in Lao". Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  5. "Big C to open shopping complex in Vientiane". National Authority for Science and Technology of Laos. Retrieved 2011-08-05.
  6. "Big C To Open Shopping Complex At New Talat Sao Mall". J&C Expat Services. Retrieved 2011-08-04.
  7. "บิ๊กซี"ทุ่มปักธง บุกค้าปลีกลาว โกย500ล้าน/ปี. Prachachart Business (in Thai). 22 September 2011. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  8. Vinnaly (6 August 2011). "Thai Big C Supercentre to operate business in Laos". Lao Voices. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  9. "Big C wins bid to buy 42 Carrefour branches". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2010-05-15.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Big C.