Tiếng Việt
中文 (中国)
Central Retail Group – the owner of Big C in Vietnam said that the Big C Vietnam supermarket system will officially rename the ‘Big C’ brand name to ‘GO!’ and ‘Tops Market’ due to an M&A deal with Casino Group.
Big change coming to Big C
In recent days, customers who go shopping at Big C Au Co (Tan Phu district, Ho Chi Minh City) will be surprised to see that the ‘Big C’ signboard has changed its name to ‘Tops market’.
On the official fan page of Tops market, they explained that Big C is gradually changing itself for brand new advancement. The special part about this change is that this supermarket system has a very unique and secret way to deliver the news to its consumers. Many Big C supermarkets spread across the country have launched a mini-game as an implicit announcement to customers about their new appearance adjustment.
Specifically, one unit raised the question: “In your opinion, how will Big C change in 2021?”
The answers given include: expanding the supermarket in terms of premises; changes in counter locations and commodities improvement; enhance the entire supermarket in terms of products, images, signs, names. Customers who take part in this little game will receive many valuable gifts, special offers, etc. This program is exclusively for Big C An Phu, Big C Thao Dien, and Big C Au Co supermarkets.
Big C is honoured to be one of the most loved and trusted retail brands of Vietnamese people.
On March 1st 2021, three Big C supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City, including Big C An Phu, Big C Thao Dien, and Big C Au Co, were officially renamed Tops Market. Tops Market supermarket chain is designed according to the criteria: diverse fresh organic food, clear origin and focus on customer service.
It is expected that 4 Big C supermarkets in Hanoi including The Garden, Ha Dong, Nguyen Xien, and Le Trong Tan will also complete the name change in the third quarter of this year.
Before that, from December 2020 and early January 2021, 5 Big C supermarkets were renamed GO! included GO! Di An; GO! Nha Trang; GO! Can Tho; GO! Ha Long and GO! Vinh Phuc.
Shopping spaces in these ‘new’ supermarkets are considered to be very modern and more comfortable with upgraded parking spaces, resting seats and integrated stalls in the shopping centre with the commitment to “price always low” (gia luon luon thap).
These supermarkets operate according to the following criteria: broadening product categories, modern shopping spaces, enhancing parking areas, resting benches, and integrated booths in the commercial centre. Moreover, many facilities are also upgraded to a new standard (such as trolleys, shopping carts, bags, …).
The M&A deal of Big C
Previously, in April 2016, Central Group and Nguyen Kim Group officially announced the transfer of the Big C Vietnam system with a total transaction value of up to 920 million Euro (1.05 billion USD).
Big C Vietnam chain has returned to Central Group of Thai billionaire family Chirathivat after a period of bidding in the acquisition of Big C Vietnam chain by many companies including Lotte Group (Korea), Central Group and TCC Holding (both from Thailand), and domestic investors such as Thang Long GTC Joint Stock Company (a member of Hanoitourist), Saigon Co.op and Masan Group (Vietnam).
Thus, after 22 years of clinging to Vietnamese consumers, the Big C brand will no longer be present in this market.
As a matter of fact, the plan to change the name took place nearly 5 years behind the statement of acquisition of the representative of Central Group. At the time the group completed the acquisition of Big C Vietnam from Casino Group in 2016, despite having the right to use this name for 10 years, the Thai retailer still wanted to change its name after that.
However, the transformation of Big C brand is not that simple because Big C is a familiar brand name and has been trusted by many Vietnamese users for a long time.
ASL LAW is M&A law firm in Vietnam. If you need any inquiry, please contact us.
