Thailand’s Richest Family Consolidates Siam Makro, Lotus Retail Stores In $6.7 Billion Deal

Charoen Pokphand Group—managed by Thailand’s richest man Dhanin Chearavanont and his household—is consolidating its retail property by promoting the corporate’s controlling curiosity within the Lotus retail chain to Siam Makro, which can also be managed by CP Group.

Below the deal introduced to the Thai bourse on Tuesday, Siam Makro—Thailand’s greatest operator of cash-and-carry shops—will purchase 76% of Lotus from CP Retail Holding for 218 billion baht ($6.7 billion) in an all-share deal. As fee for the acquisition of the Lotus stake, Siam Makro stated it can difficulty 5 billion shares at 43.50 baht apiece to CP Retail shareholders together with CP All, Charoen Pokphand Holding Co. and CP Merchandising Co.

Upon completion of the share swaps, the CP Group associates will promote a part of their shares in Siam Makro so as to preserve the low cost retailer as a listed entity, the corporate stated in a press release.

The acquisition helps the corporate’s long-term technique of turning into a pacesetter within the retail and wholesale enterprise throughout Thailand and Malaysia, whereas enabling the group to compete with retailers throughout the area, Siam Makro stated. Lotus operates about 2,000 shops throughout Thailand and 62 retailers in Malaysia, whereas Siam Makro has 137 shops in Thailand.

With a much bigger footprint, Siam Makro stated it plans to ascertain an e-commerce grocery platform in Southeast Asia that may successfully compete with worldwide gamers. The mix of Siam Makro and Lotus can even assist improve the group’s operational effectivity by optimizing and streamlining operations resembling provide chain administration, it added.

The deal comes after CP Group re-acquired Lotus’ operations in Thailand and Malaysia from British retailer Tesco for $10.6 billion in March 2020 because the Covid-19 pandemic began to unfold.

The acquisition of Lotus final 12 months marked the return of the grocery and hypermarket chain to CP Group, which initially established Lotus as Lotus Supercenter in 1994. Within the aftermath of the Asian monetary disaster, CP Group was compelled to promote the retailer to Tesco in 1998.

Dhanin and his three brothers draw their wealth primarily from CP Group, one of many world’s largest producers of animal feed and livestock. Their father Chia Ek Chor and his brother Choncharoen Chiaravanont began the enterprise in 1921 in as store promoting seeds imported from China to Thai farmers. At the moment, CP Group additionally owns 7-11 shops throughout Thailand, holds controlling curiosity in cellular operator True Corp and has curiosity in actual property.

Dhanin, 82, was CP Group’s chairman and CEO for 48 years till he stepped down in 2017. He and siblings had a web price of $30.2 billion when the listing of Thailand’s 50 Richest was revealed in July. Dhanin’s eldest son, Soopakij, and the youngest, Suphachai, are CP’s chairman and CEO, respectively.