IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc. continues to expand its presence globally, with a planned entry into Laos. The retailer has signed a master franchise agreement with CP All Laos Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of CP All Public Co. Ltd., to develop and operate 7-Eleven convenience stores in The Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos).
The companies expect the first 7-Eleven-branded c-store in Laos to be open soon in the capital city Vientiane.
With the addition of Laos, CP All now holds licensing agreements to operate 7-Eleven stores in two adjacent Asian countries. CP All has had a 7-Eleven licensing agreement in its home country of Thailand for more than 30 years and signed a master franchise agreement for Cambodia earlier this year.
“With its remarkable success in Thailand, I can think of no one better than CP All to bring the 7-Eleven brand to consumers in Laos,” said Joe DePinto, president and CEO of 7-Eleven Inc. “This relationship promises to bring additional jobs and economic opportunities throughout the region.”
The master franchisee plans to construct stores, modernizing the small-retail environment and bringing greater convenience to shoppers, backed by the world's largest convenience retailing brand. Internationally popular products, beverages, snacks and immediately consumable fresh foods with recipes developed for regional tastes will be part of the convenience offerings for Laotian shoppers, 7-Eleven says.
CP All was established in 1988 to operate 7-Eleven stores in Thailand under an exclusive licensing agreement with 7-Eleven, Inc. The first Thailand 7-Eleven store opened in Bangkok in 1989, and CP All now operates more than 12,000 stores in the country, second only to Japan in the world.
CP All has operated 7-Eleven stores in Thailand for more than 30 years, and the brand has become part of popular Thai culture. The stores there serve as one-stop destinations for beverages, snacks, ready-to-eat meals, financial services such as banking and bill payment, digital technology and delivery, the company said, all which the CP All plans to replicate for Laotian customers.
Laos will be the 20th country where 7-Eleven stores operate or will operate soon. Other countries and regions include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, China (including Hong Kong), the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Viet Nam, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, India and Cambodia.
*7-Eleven is No. 1 on CSP's 2020 Top 202 ranking of U.S. c-store chains by number of retail outlets.
Irving, Texas, 7–Eleven operates, franchises and licenses more than 71,100 stores in 17 countries, including 11,800 in North America and more than 9,300 in the United States.
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