Saigon Co.op on December 28 launched Co.op Smile, a new trading model comprising small modern grocery stores.

Saigon Co.op general director Nguyen Thanh Nhan said together with its other chains - Co.opmart supermarket, Co.opXtra hypermarket, Co.op Food, Ben Thanh shops, Sense City commercial centres, SC Vivo City mall -- and the TV shopping channel HTV Co.op, the new shops will diversify the co-operative’s retail model and meet the demands of various customer segments.

Depending on their location, Co.op Smile stores range in size from 20sq.m to 200sq.m and stock 1,500 to 2,000 items like processed foods, cosmetics, Co.opmart-owned brands and price-stabilised products, with some also selling origin-traceable fresh foods like pork.

At Co.op Smile stores, consumers can also pay phone, electricity, Internet, and cable TV bills and buy phone cards and others, Vo Hoang Anh, Saigon Co.op’s marketing director, said.

On the same day the 12^th store of the new chain opened in HCM City’s Cu Chi District. The earlier 11 opened earlier.

Nhan said 20 outlets are expected to open this year and the number is expected to reach 200-300 by the end of next year.

Saigon Co.op is looking at a franchise model to expand Co.op Smile, he said.

Nguyen Duy Hien, director of the new chain, said the focus is on HCM City first before expanding to other cities and provinces.

Nhan said, “With its flexibility in terms of size, Co.op Smile will develop quickly and enable Co.opmart to bring high-quality Vietnamese products and price-stabilised goods to consumers.” — VNS