Central Group is a Thai multinational conglomerate consisting of subsidiaries in retail, property development, brand management, hospitality, and food and beverage sectors.

History 

Founder Tiang emigrated from Hainan Island to Bangkok in 1925. He set up his first shop in the Thon Buri district on the outskirts of Bangkok across the Chao Phraya River from the city center.  He moved across the Chao Phraya River to a location near the grand Oriental Hotel (now the Mandarin Oriental), where he opened a store with his eldest son, Samrit, in 1947. In 1956, the family opened Central Department Store, the biggest department store in Thailand at that time, in Wang Burapa district, Phra Nakhon, Bangkok. The company's property development arm, Central Pattana, was founded in 1980, and opened its first shopping centre, CentralPlaza Ladprao in Chatuchak District, Bangkok, in 1983. Besides expansion through physical presence in the Bangkok retail space, Central Group has in recent years built an online presence among ASEAN e-tailers and a strong presence of luxury department store collection in Europe.

Key business line

Malls and commercial properties 

Central Group has substantial operations in developing Thai retail and commercial properties, and currently holds the largest market share of net leasable area in Thailand. Besides retail, Central Group has also developed offices, co-working spaces and residential projects.

Retail and brands 

Retail & Brands is Central Group’s most significant business with investments in Europe and Asia.

Fashion: Department stores, lifestyle centers, lifestyle & fashion brands

Hardline: Home décor & construction, electronics, office supplies, books & stationery

Food: Supermarkets and convenience stores

Hospitality 
Central Group owns and manages visitor accommodation at all major Thai tourist destinations and around the world under own banners as well as international brands. Hotels cover every segment from luxury to economy. Central’s own brands comprise Centara Reserve, Centara Grand, Centara Boutique Collection, Centara, Centra by Centara and Cosi, while internationally-branded hotels include Park Hyatt Bangkok and Hilton Pattaya. In Japan, Central Group is a co-investor in Felice Hotel Group, whose brands include Hotel Felice, Hotel Relief, Hotel ICI, and Hotel Stork.

Central Group has also pioneered restaurant chains in Thailand, and operates well-known local, regional, and international food brands such as Mister Donut, KFC, Auntie Anne’s, Pepper Lunch, Chabuton, The Terrace, Yoshinoya, Ootoya, Tenya, Katsuya and Fezt.

Financial Services & FinTech 
One of Central Group's aspirations towards the New Central New Economy strategy is to create convenience for both merchants and consumers with financial services and Fintech, with the ultimate goal of a cashless society in Thailand.

Financial Services & Fintech categories:

Credit : The1 credit card, sales finance, personal loans

Payment : gift cards, e-payments, e-wallets

Insurance brokerage : motor, health, personal accident, property & casualty, group life

Philanthropy

Central Tham Projects 
Central Tham is a sustainability initiative and social development project founded by Central Group, with the focus on minimizing inequality and providing opportunities to all members of society together by transforming education into a hub of learning. Furthermore, it intends to promote careers for people with disabilities, as well as develop community economies, create jobs with stable income, share knowledge, support marketing communication channels, preserve and protect the environment in order to create a green world, and eventually guide all sectors toward sustainable tourism.

Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai Province 
Jing Jai Market, Chiang Mai is a community tourism project based on organic agriculture that started in 2012 and covers more than 11.07 acres in the Central Group's "Jing Jai Central Chiang Mai" area. The market is organized into 3 sections: Food, Art & Design, and Craft. In addition, there is a Tops Green store, the first green store, as well as a Good Goods store, which is a Thai social enterprise brand that carries on local wisdom and has developed in quality and modernized design to be contemporary with an emphasis on creating sustainable happiness for both locals and tourists.

Na Muen Sri Weaving Community Learning Center, Trang Province 
Over 200 years of history of the largest weaving source in the country with up to 39 original fabric patterns that should be preserved and carried on, Na Muen Sri is considered a revered item of Trang Province that has helped bring together people in the community to inherit local wisdom perfectly.

Cherntawan Buddhist Ecological Learning Center for Organic Agriculture, Chiang Rai Province 
Central Tham collaborates with Pramaha Vuttichai Wachiramatee (Than W. Wachiramethi), the founder of Cherntawan International Meditation Center (Chiang Rai), and network partners to expand the Chuentawan Phuttha Niwet organic farming initiative towards "a prototype of a learning center for organic farming innovation."

Mae Tha Sustainable Organic Farming Community, Mae On District, Chiang Mai Province 
Collaborating with the Earth Net Foundation and a number of other organizations to promote and support various aspects to make the Mae Tha Sustainable Living Project as a model project on an area of 9 rai (3.56 square meters).

Bhu Chee Duen Forest Preserving Coffee, Chiang Rai Province 
Bhu Chee Duen is an origin of single and natural organic Arabica coffee cultivated with care under preserved trees for the healthy growth of coffee trees and the sustainability of the environment and the community.

The Ban Kut Chik Indigo-dyed Fabric Community, Sakon Nakhon Province 
In collaboration with the Department of Community Development to support the development of the Ban Kut Chik weaving group, with an emphasis on cooperation between communities and organizations to find strengths and uniqueness. In addition, the community plants cotton and indigo to produce natural colors on their own.

The Learning Center for Agricultural Product Development and Community Products, Ban Theppana, Thep Sathit District, Chaiyaphum Province 
Help farmers in the area earn more income by approaching sustainable agriculture. Hass Mexican avocados are the community's primary product which is the best breed in the world. Growing Hass avocados was started for sustainable agriculture and to help farmers in the area earn more income. Avocados are valuable cash crops with high demand in both domestic and foreign markets.

Other philanthropy activities 
 Thailand
In 2020, Central Group donated 68 million USD to help Thai people during COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam
In 2017, Central Group presented gifts to 3,600 disadvantaged children.
In 2020, Central Group donated 70,000 medical masks and 9,000 anti-drop glasses to two leading hospitals in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Hanoi and National Hospital of Tropical Diseases Ho Chi Minh. Central Group presented 4 medical rooms for negative pressure isolation treatment, isolation support, and treatment of COVID-19 patients.

See also 
 Big C
 Chirathivat family
 Robinson Department Store
 Tops Supermarket, grocery chain owned by Central

References

External links 
 Central Group official website

 
Retail companies of Thailand
Real estate companies of Thailand
Hospitality companies of Thailand
Companies based in Bangkok
Conglomerate companies established in 1947
1947 establishments in Thailand
Hospitality companies established in 1947
Retail companies established in 1947