Central Retail Corporation, Thailand's leading mall operator, has restructured its food businesses for the first time in its 26 years of operation, unifying all retail brands under Central Food Retail (CFR) as the single brand Tops.
Chakkit Chatupanyachotikul, head of marketing, public relations and creating shared value at CFR, the operator of Tops Supermarket, said the company began the restructuring in the middle of this year with a one-brand strategy.
The names of the CFR retail models Tops Market, Tops Daily, Tops Online and Tops Superstore will be changed to "Tops", while Central Food Hall will be known as Tops Food Hall.
The logo of Tops was updated to provide a more modern, unique and outstanding look, he said. A new typeface has been used to create a different image for Tops, in line with current consumer behaviour.
The logo reflects the brand's modern and approachable character, said Mr Chakkit.
In addition, the product display for each Tops concept store has been modernised with an updated brand image, presenting the company's concept of "Every Day Discovery", he said.
Some 22 Tops stores have already been adjusted to the new style, with 268 remaining stores scheduled for updates next year.
Mr Chakkit did not divulge the investment needed for the rebranding.
"Tops wants to move beyond a supermarket, becoming a lifestyle hub that caters to changing needs," he said.
"This reform marks the start of a journey into a new retail era, building a strong brand DNA for Tops -- one that is more approachable and trendy. This reform goes beyond a rebranding exercise and physical changes, rather it is a brand transformation that will strengthen its image and offer another level of experience beyond just a supermarket."
In addition, Mr Chakkit said the company recently launched two new store models under its food portfolio: Tops Fine Food and Tops Club.
The first Tops Fine Food outlet opened on Sukhumvit Soi 39 in a space with 1,400 square metres.
Tops Club follows a membership model, launching on Sept 28 and offering mostly imported products from exclusive brands around the world, with new and trendy products for every lifestyle need.
There are 290 Tops stores in total in the market.
Of the total, 138 stores used to be Tops Markets or Tops Superstores, 135 were Tops Daily outlets, and the remaining 17 stores followed other concepts.