AuchanSuper Vietnam plans 18 stores

Privately-owned French supermarket operator AuchanSuper has opened its first store in Vietnam, branded Simply Market.

It plans 17 more before the end of 2016.

The first store is trading in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 5, a middle class Vietnamese suburb not popular with expatriates, which gives a strong indication of the demographic the French company is targeting in Vietnam, its 15th international market.

The first store will be followed by two more before this year ends, each with a footprint of 2000 to 3000 sqm.

As the disposable income of Vietnam’s 90 million population increases, more and more foreign retailers are trying to establish a foothold in the country. The French-Thai joint venture Big C, Japan’s Aeon and South Korea’s Lotte Mart have the early running in the grocery market, while Circle K, FamilyMart and Berli Jucker’s B Smart are busily building networks of convenience stores before 7-Eleven makes its debut as early as next year.

AuchanSuper is investing up to euro 40 million in its Vietnam foray.