Uni-President Group is intensifying its focus on the retail sector, making significant advances in department stores and supermarkets. During a shareholders’ meeting on the 27th, Chairman Chih-Hsien Lo announced the anticipated opening of the “Dream Plaza” department store in Taipei’s Xinyi District next year. This flagship store will feature the largest Starbucks in the area and the first physical bookstore by Bloglai.
In the supermarket arena, Taiwan’s 7-ELEVEN is rapidly expanding, adding over 100 new stores each month to meet growing consumer demand. Chairman Lo emphasized that the retail market in Taiwan currently shows “no ceiling” for expansion. Additionally, the company plans to increase its presence in the Philippines, targeting over 10,000 stores, up from the previously estimated 8,000.
Shiu Ling Kao, Chairman of Uni-President Beauty Business, expressed confidence in the “Dream Plaza” project, despite construction delays due to safety reinforcements. The project, expected to enhance the shopping experience in Taipei, includes a collaboration with Starbucks headquarters in Seattle to create a unique Taiwanese specialty store. Chih-Hsien Lo highlighted the innovative approach for the Bloglai bookstore, aiming to provide a comfortable and engaging reading environment.
Regarding 7-ELEVEN’s growth strategy, Luo announced that the number of stores in Taiwan is set to reach 7,000 by July. This expansion is driven by consumer demand rather than preset targets. The aggressive growth pattern is expected to continue, with significant monthly increases in store numbers.
Beyond Taiwan, Uni-President is making strides in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, 7-ELEVEN has become the market leader, with store counts projected to exceed 10,000. However, Luo noted that the company has not yet identified an opportunity to enter the Indian market. In mainland China, Uni-President will concentrate its efforts on the Shanghai and Zhejiang regions, which show promising growth and healthy development.
This comprehensive expansion strategy underscores Uni-President’s commitment to strengthening its retail footprint across key markets, leveraging both innovative and traditional retail formats to capture growing consumer demand.
