Central Group

The Central Group of Companies (Thai: กลุ่มเซ็นทรัล) or Central Holding is a family-owned conglomerate holding company in Thailand that is involved in merchandising, real estate, retailing, hospitality and restaurants. Among its subsidiaries is Central Pattana and the Central Retail Corporation. Its chief rival is The Mall Group, which owns Siam Paragon and The Emporium and several suburban shopping centres.

History

Old façade of CentralPlaza Pinklao (1995-2010).

Tiang Chirathivat started a general merchandise store in 1947 in Samphanthawong district, Bangkok's Chinatown. In 1957, Tiang's son, Samrit Chirathivat, opened the first Central Department Store in Wangburapha, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping centre, Central Plaza Lat Phrao in Chatuchak district, Bangkok in 1982.

Tiang migrated to Thailand from China's Hainan Island in 1927 at the age of 22. He had three wives and 25 children.^[1] Tiang died in 1968.^[2]

Central Retail Corporation (CRC)

Central Retail Corporation (Thai: เซ็นทรัลรีเทล คอร์ปอเรชัน) is the largest retailer in Thailand, it operates:

• 5 Department store chains (Central Department Store, ZEN, Robinson, La Rinascente and Illum), operated many stores in Thailand, China, Italy, Indonesia and Denmark.
• 6 Shopping mall formats (from "Superluxury Shopping Mall" to "Community Mall")
• 7 Retail & Wholesale supermarket chains (Central Food Hall, Tops market, Tops SUPERSTORE, Tops Superkoom, Tops Superkoom Wholesale, Tops super and Tops daily).
• 1 Convenience Store chain (Central FamilyMart)
• 8 Specialty Retail Store chains (PowerBuy, SuperSports, B2S, homeWorks, OfficeMate, Thai Watsadu, PageOne and baan&BEYOND)
• 8 Franchise/Licenses specialty retail stores chains - only in Thailand stores (Watson's, Marks & Spencer, Muji, Uniqlo, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Sanrio, Komonoya and Matsumoto KiYoshi)

Shopping malls

• CentralWorld
• Central Embassy
• CentralFestival
• CentralPlaza
• Robinson Lifestyle Center

Chains

• Central Department Store
• Robinson Department Store
• ZEN Department Store
• La Rinascente
• Illum

Central Pattana (CPN)

Central Pattana (SET: CPN) (Thai: เซ็นทรัลพัฒนา) is the retail property development and management arm of the Central Group, Central Pattana was founded on June 17, 1980 with a registered capital of 300 million baht. The company became registered as a public limited company in 1994 and was listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in 1995.

Central Pattana is currently managing 23 shopping centres, 6 office buildings, one hotel and two residential projects. It planned to expand the shopping malls to oversea. The first will be open in Malaysia, around 2016, and other plans has expand to Vietnam, China, India and Indonesia.

Centara Hotels and Resorts (CHR)

Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited (SET: CENTEL) is a hotel chain in Thailand. It was established in 1980 and listed on the SET in 1990, formerly name was Central Hotels and Resorts and changed name to Centara Hotels and Resorts (CHR) (Thai: เครือโรงแรมเซนทารา) in 2007. Today it has 6 hotel subbrands, 1 spa brand and 1 convention center brand, such as;

Central Restaurant Group (CRG)

Central Restaurant Group (CRG) (Thai: เซ็นทรัล เรสตอรองส์ กรุ๊ป) started business in 1978, at first a subdivision of Central Plaza Hotel Public Company Limited. The major brand of the group is Mister Donut, under a master franchisee licence.

Central Food Retail Group (CFG)

Central Food Retail Group (CFG) (Thai: เซ็นทรัล ฟู้ด รีเทล กรุ๊ป) was formed after with the merger of FamilyMart Thailand (purchased in September 2012) and its existing retail and wholesale supermarket chains into 'Central Food Retail Company Limited'. CGRG now operates the following supermarket and convenience store chains:

• Central Food Hall
• Tops market
• Tops SUPERSTORE
• Tops Superkoom
• Tops Superkoom Wholesale
• Tops super
• Tops daily
• Central Wine Cellar
• Segafredo Zanetti Espresso
• Central FamilyMart

See also

• List of shopping malls in Thailand
• BigC
• Tesco Lotus

References

1. ↑
2. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/global/2007/0723/056.html

External links

• Main corporate website