---
title: "After Pop Mart, More Brands Eye Thailand: A Guide for FMCG Brands Entering Thailand"
description: "In 2024, Pop Mart's unexpected success in Thailand has led many to consider Thailand as a potential market when expanding into Southeast Asia. Thai consumers' high acceptance of new products, strong willingness to spend ahead, and developed convenience store system all support the feasibility of overseas brands entering the local market. However, recent exchanges with some brands have revealed that not every team has achieved phased results. The problem lies not in the product but in the path—the logic of scaling up in Thailand's FMCG business differs from that in China. Thai FMCG..."
author: "戚特"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2026-02-09"
categories: "Brand Marketing"
language: "en"
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original_source: "https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dM4Tyw-M7jkD-GhAdbMgsA"
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citation: "戚特. “After Pop Mart, More Brands Eye Thailand: A Guide for FMCG Brands Entering Thailand.” New Distribution, 2026-02-09. https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/after-pop-mart-more-brands-eye-thailand-a-guide-for-fmcg-brands-entering-a4fc6e36/"
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# After Pop Mart, More Brands Eye Thailand: A Guide for FMCG Brands Entering Thailand

> In 2024, Pop Mart's unexpected success in Thailand has led many to consider Thailand as a potential market when expanding into Southeast Asia. Thai consumers' high acceptance of new products, strong willingness to spend ahead, and developed convenience store system all support the feasibility of overseas brands entering the local market. However, recent exchanges with some brands have revealed that not every team has achieved phased results. The problem lies not in the product but in the path—the logic of scaling up in Thailand's FMCG business differs from that in China. Thai FMCG...

In 2024, Pop Mart's unexpected success in Thailand has led many to consider Thailand as a potential market when expanding into Southeast Asia. Thai consumers' high acceptance of new products, strong willingness to spend ahead, and developed convenience store system all support the feasibility of overseas brands entering the local market.
However, recent exchanges with some brands have revealed that not every team has achieved phased results. The problem lies not in the product but in the path—the logic of scaling up in Thailand's FMCG business differs from that in China.
**Thailand's FMCG Channel Structure**
First, Thailand's offline channels are completely different from markets like Indonesia and Malaysia that we have discussed before.
Thailand's offline retail is highly "conglomerate-controlled." Three major local commercial conglomerates highly control various retail formats: **CP Group** , **TCC Group** , and **Central Group** .
Specifically, different formats are backed by corresponding conglomerates:
1\. Convenience stores: Comprising 7-Eleven (CP system), Lotus's Go Fresh (CP Axtra, under CP Group), Big C Mini (BJC, under TCC), CJ More, Lawson108, etc.
Convenience stores are the strongest single-point channel for FMCG in Thailand, especially suitable for snacks, beverages, ready-to-eat foods, and small-packaged goods. 7-Eleven dominates with the widest store network, currently having over 15,000 stores in Thailand.
Next, Lotus's Go Fresh has about 2,000 stores, Big C Mini has 1,500, CJ More about 1,000, Tops Daily 500, and Lawson108 200.
In other words, securing 7-Eleven in Thailand means your product can reach almost all regions nationwide.
2\. Hypermarkets: Thailand's hypermarket sector is also a duopoly, with the two players being Lotus's (under CP Axtra) and Big C (under BJC/TCC).
Hypermarkets in Thailand cover a wide price range and have mature promotion mechanisms, suitable for mass-market volume products. Lotus's currently has over 200 large stores in Thailand, while Big C has around 160. Whether you can enter Lotus's/Big C determines if your brand can scale into Thai mass-market households.
3\. Premium supermarkets: Examples include Tops (under Central Retail), Gourmet Market, Villa Market, Foodland, MaxValu, etc. These formats focus more on brand positioning, product stories, and imported product attributes, making them more suitable for mid-to-high-end or differentiated products.
Since Central Group owns Tops supermarkets and has a strong presence in department stores, this channel has strong influence in high-tier cities like Bangkok. Supermarket channels typically target middle-class and high-income consumers, with higher acceptance of high-quality, imported, and novel products, but they are also more demanding regarding brand awareness and marketing stories.
4\. B2B channels: Represented by Makro (under CP Axtra) and GO Wholesale (under Central Retail). Thailand has a large "small B-end" customer base (restaurants, stalls, small grocery stores, etc.) that frequently restocks through wholesale systems.
Wholesalers like Makro have thus become an important pathway for many brands to scale up. This channel is characterized by wholesale prices, cash transactions, and large volumes, making it suitable for food ingredients, seasonings, and large-packaged goods.
For FMCG brands, B2B wholesale channels often mean faster capital turnover and sales scale, but brand exposure is lower compared to consumer retail channels.
Regarding Thailand's online retail channels, we generally divide them into three layers: platform e-commerce, interest e-commerce, and instant retail.
First layer: Platform e-commerce.
Thailand's market is highly concentrated, mainly monopolized by Shopee and Lazada. Shopee holds about 23% market share, Lazada about 22%, together accounting for 5% of Thailand's retail e-commerce transaction value.
The remaining market share is divided among smaller players, including Central Retail's self-operated online channels, traditional local retailers transitioning online, and cross-border emerging players like Shein's parent company Roadget. In Thailand, Shopee and Lazada are unavoidable traffic gateways.
Second layer: Interest e-commerce.
Thai consumers are very active on social media and accustomed to making purchase decisions through the integration of social platforms and e-commerce. Notably, TikTok's rapid rise in Thailand is particularly noteworthy—TikTok integrates short video content with a shopping loop, forming a powerful conversion model of "seeding + live streaming + instant purchase."
Currently, TikTok has become the third-largest platform in Thailand after Shopee and Lazada.
Third layer: Instant retail.
Thailand's instant retail is developing rapidly, but this format is still largely controlled by traditional retailers rather than internet companies. Traditional large retailers typically develop their own shopping apps, combined with front warehouses or store delivery, offering fresh food delivery services.
Among them, CP Group's MakroPRO has captured 40% market share, becoming the top instant retail e-commerce platform in Thailand; another CP app, Lotus's SMART, ranks second with 20% share. In Thailand's instant retail market, large retail conglomerates are leveraging their supply chain and store network advantages to build their own online moats.
Additionally, delivery platforms like Grab and LINE Man also participate in competition, but their overall scale is still smaller.
**Characteristics of Thailand's FMCG Market**
Meanwhile, Thailand's FMCG industry has several notable differentiated characteristics to pay attention to:
1\. Small-quantity, high-frequency consumption. Thailand's food retail channels are dominated by convenience stores and specialty stores, together accounting for over half of the share. This means Thai consumers shop more frequently, in smaller amounts, and emphasize instant gratification. In convenience store scenarios, consumers tend to buy drinks and snacks on the go daily, buying what they need without bulk stocking.
2\. High price sensitivity. Influenced by income levels and consumption attitudes, Thai mass consumers are very price-sensitive and willing to switch brands or stores for better prices. In other words, brand loyalty is relatively fragile in the face of price, even more so than in the Chinese market.
3\. Obvious consumption stratification. Thailand is a major tourist country; Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, etc., are both tourist destinations and hubs for local middle- and high-income populations.
This leads to clear stratification in product consumption: international trendy brands and high-end new products often first become popular in major cities like Bangkok and tourist areas, then gradually penetrate second- and third-tier provincial markets through word-of-mouth from fashionable consumers and tourists.
This is similar to China's urban-rural diffusion path, but due to Thailand's uneven regional economic development, brands need to formulate region-specific and phased market entry strategies. Success in Bangkok does not mean immediate popularity in rural areas; new products need to consider gradual downward expansion and localized promotion.
Therefore, several categories are relatively easier to succeed in Thailand.
First, ready-to-drink/ready-to-eat products: Due to the strong convenience store channel, consumers primarily purchase ready-to-eat and ready-to-drink items, with high frequency and instant satisfaction. Bottled beverages, ready-to-eat snacks, cup instant foods, and ready-to-use personal care products all have huge markets in Thailand.
Second, small-packaged, affordable products: Aligned with high-frequency, small-amount consumption habits, Thai consumers prefer small-sized, affordable products over large family-pack sizes. For example, small bottles of daily chemicals and individually packaged snacks are more easily accepted in Thailand.
Third, localized flavors and styles: Thai consumers have distinct regional taste preferences, favoring spicy, sweet and sour, and Thai-style flavors with herbal spices. Brands are advised to adjust to Thai taste preferences (e.g., launching Thai-style spicy potato chips, beverage flavors matching Thai tastes, etc.).
Fourth, health benefits without sacrificing taste: Among Southeast Asian countries, Thai consumers are relatively health-conscious; products with health claims (low sugar, high fiber) are more attractive. However, Thai consumers are also unwilling to sacrifice taste for health. Therefore, product development needs to maintain a balance.
Channel distribution characteristics:
Channel strategies in the Thai market
Thailand's FMCG offline distribution can be summarized into three main pathways. From a practical perspective, Chinese FMCG brands need to understand the following three different pathway strategies to succeed in Thailand:
1\. Modern trade channels
Entering modern trade channels can quickly achieve scale sales and brand exposure, but the entry barriers are high.
Suppliers need to meet a series of hard requirements: product quality inspection and formula compliance with regulations, packaging labels meeting Thai language labeling standards, barcode and information system integration capabilities, stable supply chain and production capacity to ensure no stockouts, and acceptance of channel-specified payment terms and entry fees.
Once entered, brands must cooperate with channel rhythms for regular promotions (e.g., discounts, buy-one-get-one-half-off) and invest in shelf displays, DM advertising, etc. This actually requires brands to have mature management capabilities and maintain good communication with channel buyers.
The advantages of modern trade are high sales potential and strong brand endorsement (consumers seeing products in hypermarkets and 7-Eleven perceive them as well-known brands), but the disadvantages are compressed profit margins due to entry fees and various concessions, and the risk of being delisted if supply or sales targets are not met.
2\. Traditional down-market distribution channels
Thailand's traditional channels typically adopt a multi-tier distribution model. Importers or national distributors sell to provincial large distributors, who then wholesale to regional wholesalers or secondary distributors, and finally use van sales to distribute products to thousands of small shops.
Although this multi-tier distribution is less efficient than modern chains, it excels in reaching the last mile: many rural areas lack large supermarkets but have mom-and-pop stores; consumers do not shop online but visit wet markets daily. Therefore, to truly penetrate to the majority of Thai consumers, brands often rely on these dense traditional channel partners.
After entering Thailand, Chinese brands should not only enter modern trade but also identify suitable local distributors to penetrate provincial markets through their networks. When selecting distributors, evaluate their channel coverage depth, warehouse and fleet size, number of towns covered, and relationship networks.
3\. B2B wholesale channels
B2B is an often-overlooked but crucial hidden channel in Thailand's FMCG market. Many restaurants, food stalls, hotels, and remote convenience stores regularly restock through wholesale supermarkets like Makro.
Taking Makro as an example, it operates hundreds of large warehouse-style stores in Thailand, with membership for commercial customers, while ordinary consumers can also shop with a card. For brands, entering Makro means reaching thousands of small B-end customers, with each order often being dozens of cartons, leading to significant cumulative sales.
Especially if the brand's products are suitable for restaurant ingredients, food condiments, or small-store retail categories (e.g., sauces, large-packaged beverages, instant noodles in bulk), B2B channels may generate results faster than B2C retail.
Additionally, B2B channels typically settle in cash or with short payment terms, reducing collection risk and capital pressure. However, note that Makro and others have requirements for suppliers, such as wholesale price margins and commercial packaging suitability.
**Chinese Brands Going Global to Thailand:**
**Key Focus and Strategic Recommendations**
**1. Lock in entry channels and enter gradually by track**
Thailand's market channels are fragmented and diverse. Chinese brands entering initially should not try to cover all channels at once but rather prioritize one main track based on product characteristics, then gradually expand to other channels. The channel tracks can be divided into four, with targeted strategies:
1\. Convenience store first (snacks, beverages, ready-to-eat, instant mixes): If products highly fit the high-frequency convenience store scenario (e.g., snacks, bottled drinks, coffee mixes, ready-to-eat foods), target 7-Eleven as the primary goal, supplemented by Lotus's Go Fresh, Big C Mini, and other convenience systems.
The key to success lies in whether a single SKU can move quickly on the small convenience store shelf. Also ensure the supply chain can keep up with frequent restocking rhythms and align with nationwide promotional schedules (e.g., 7-Eleven has periodic themed promotions year-round).
Since convenience stores have strict new product screening, consider piloting in regional stores to validate sales before rolling out to more stores. Once you secure large-scale distribution in 7-Eleven, your brand can almost become famous overnight in Thailand.
2\. Hypermarkets/supermarkets for scale (family packs, daily chemicals, basic necessities): For categories with high household consumption frequency and large packaging needs (e.g., rice, flour, oil, seasonings, family-pack snacks and beverages, personal care daily chemicals), target Lotus's, Big C, and urban supermarket systems like Tops.
Hypermarkets cover urban and suburban mass households and are key channels for establishing stable sales volume. Entering these channels means your brand is on the family's daily shopping list. Initially, high entry fees and display fees may be required, but as sales climb, scale effects can dilute costs.
Pay attention to pricing strategies for hypermarkets, as these channels often engage in price wars with competing brands; ensure sufficient gross margin to participate in discount activities while still making a profit.
3. B2B for volume (restaurant ingredients, channel supply products): If a significant portion of your brand's audience is B2B customers like restaurants and small shops (typical examples: restaurant sauces, semi-finished ingredients, bulk office snacks), entering Makro or GO Wholesale first may build sales volume faster and more steadily.
Through wholesale channels, products can directly reach countless terminal small merchants, boosting sales levels in the short term. Wholesale channels also have healthy cash flow, reducing bad debt risk. However, entering wholesale channels also has thresholds; for example, Makro requires lower supply prices than retail channels and a certain initial order quantity.
Brands should prepare corresponding wholesale packaging specifications and business teams to support these commercial customers (e.g., regular visits to introduce new products, display support).
4. Online content e-commerce for testing and breakout (new product trials, hit creation): Fully leverage Thailand's rapidly developing content e-commerce ecosystem, treating TikTok as a strategic channel. Also open official stores on Shopee/Lazada, using online as a testing ground and brand marketing platform.
**2. Reduce compliance costs**
Seek professional agents to handle registration and customs clearance. Exporters new to Thailand should find agents or representatives familiar with local regulations and import processes to assist with food formula registration, import permits, customs clearance, and inspection, avoiding delays due to unfamiliarity with rules.
For small and medium brands, partnering with a reputable Thai import distributor is a practical choice, with the partner as the import declaration entity and distribution channel, while the brand focuses on providing products and market support.
Next, leverage tariff advantages and calculate channel costs. Thailand has free trade agreements (FTAs) with many countries, including China (China-ASEAN FTA). This means most Chinese food products entering Thailand enjoy lower tariff rates, giving a natural price advantage over countries without FTAs like the US and EU.
This is favorable for Chinese brands, at least providing stronger competitiveness at the ex-factory stage. However, be aware of the high hidden costs in Thai channels. Channel deductions, promotional expenses, and distributor markups can significantly inflate the final consumer price.
When setting pricing strategies, meticulously calculate import tariffs + VAT + channel margins. Especially modern trade channels typically require 20-30% gross margin space plus various promotional cost allocations; if not considered early, the landed cost advantage may be offset by channel expenses.
**3. Organizational building**
Since Thai channels are monopolized by conglomerates with large scale and complex rules, Chinese brands need strong local partners and team support. This includes KA capabilities for modern trade and a distribution network covering provincial areas: as mentioned, Thailand is vast (long north-south), with significant market differences across provinces.
Whether you can penetrate to provinces and villages depends on the breadth and depth of the distribution network. Additionally, content e-commerce teams must be localized; Thailand's social media environment differs from China's. To operate TikTok, Facebook, etc., you need operators and influencers who understand Thai language and internet culture. Consider building a local e-commerce operations team or partnering with specialized agency operators.
Going global to Thailand, overall, market awareness, pace and tactics, and market resources are all crucial.
That is why **New Distribution** will hold the **"FMCG Going Global Channel Construction Forum"** in Chengdu from March 16-18.
That is why **New Distribution** will hold the **"CFC 11th China FMCG Conference"** in Chengdu from March 16-18, during which the significant forum "FMCG Going Global Channel Construction Forum" will be held.
This will be a deep-dive and methodology event specifically for **Chinese brands going global** —we will unite **leading platforms, core channel partners, regional operation service providers, importers/exporters, and industry experts** to systematically analyze the latest trends, channel strategies, and growth cases for Chinese brands going global, and build an efficient, actionable, and real-cooperation **business connection platform for going global**.
Here, you will gain:
**Learn Methods:**
Hear first-hand operational experience from core markets like Southeast Asia, North America, and Africa;
Understand channel structures and RTM strategies in different countries;
Master how brands build going-global organizations, supply chains, compliance, and channel pathways from 0 to 1.
**Promote Connections:**
Join the _Brand × Channel × Service Provider_ industry exchange group on-site; meet face-to-face with 50+ going-global distributors, overseas platforms, and supply chain partners; meet all the people who can truly help you with distribution and implementation in one go.
**Solve Problems:**
Directly face the three most painful issues in brand going global—**How to find the right partners? How to do the right channels? How to spend money where it's most effective?** The forum will build a tripartite dialogue platform for brands, channels, and service providers, using the shortest path to resolve cooperation difficulties.
**Welcome to join us, together with 3000+ FMCG industry peers, to gain insights into overseas markets, connect with global channels, and find the true foothold for the next growth of Chinese brands!**


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## Citation metadata

- Publisher: New Distribution
- Author: 戚特
- Published: 2026-02-09
- Canonical: https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/after-pop-mart-more-brands-eye-thailand-a-guide-for-fmcg-brands-entering-a4fc6e36/
- Original source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/dM4Tyw-M7jkD-GhAdbMgsA

## Copyright and AI use

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