Amid fierce competition in Southeast Asia’s retail sector, CP Axtra (SET: CPAXT)—a key part of Thailand’s Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group)—is aggressively reinventing itself under the stewardship of Mr. Tanit Chearavanont.
Speaking at the sixth edition of the Forbes Under 30 Summit Asia 2025, Mr. Tanit, as the Group Chief Wholesale Business Officer, is spearheading a bold digital transformation at one of Thailand’s most established retail chains.
Turbocharging Digital Commerce in Wholesale Retail
Since joining the family conglomerate, Mr. Tanit has led a dramatic surge in CP Axtra’s online footprint. Over just two and a half years, the company has seen an online sales boom, with e-commerce penetration dramatically increasing. The company’s logistics network also scaled up, leaping to 4,000 delivery vehicles to meet surging demand.
But the challenge, Mr. Tanit reflects, has been less about technology and more about culture. “The hardest part…is really about people and the mindset,” he says. The transformation from a legacy wholesale business into a tech-driven platform met initial pushback from established management. To combat inertia, CP Axtra merged traditional IT and digital teams, embracing an agile “squad” model to break down silos and accelerate innovation.
Reskilling Amid Digital Disruption
With automation inevitably altering the workforce landscape, CP Axtra is investing in partnerships—such as with CMKL University—to retrain employees whose roles are being displaced. The goal is to move staff from repetitive tasks toward positions requiring analytical skills, making the workforce future-ready and adaptable to rapidly evolving technological needs.
Data Savvy as a Precursor to AI Ambitions
While artificial intelligence remains a buzzy topic in retail, Mr. Tanit emphasizes that building fundamental capabilities is paramount. “Before we even talk about AI, we need to talk about the organization first,” he says, arguing that tech adoption is only as good as the company’s data literacy. Efforts are underway to ensure every employee—from store staff to management—can interpret and leverage data before delving into more advanced digital tools.
CP Axtra isn’t waiting on the sidelines for future tech. The company has filed multiple patents for AI applications, including advances in Thai language search and customized shopping recommendations, with further developments in image and voice technologies in the pipeline.
Reimagining Customer Experiences, On and Offline
Transformation isn’t limited to backend systems; it extends across customer touchpoints. Online platforms are being overhauled with best-in-class UX/UI benchmarks, aiming to compete with regional and global e-commerce giants. Meanwhile, the in-store experience is also under review, modernizing long-standing “cash-and-carry” outlets. CP Axtra now analyzes product assortments with rigorous data to ensure relevance and consumer appeal.
Additionally, Mr. Tanit highlighted an omnichannel shift: both business and retail customers are increasingly blending in-store and online shopping behaviors. For CP Axtra, the future of grocery is to serve customers seamlessly across both domains.
Core Values and Strategic Flexibility Underpin Transformation
CP Axtra’s modernization drive is firmly anchored in CP Group’s enduring corporate values—creating benefits for the country, society, and company.
Meanwhile, he also noted that “In the past, it’s the big fish eating the small fish; but in this generation, it’s the small and the fast fish eating them all.” Agility and constant adaptation are now seen as prerequisites for longevity in a sector being upended by technology and shifting trade patterns.
As Thailand’s retail landscape transforms, CP Axtra is clearly betting that a blend of digital fluency, organizational agility, and a steadfast commitment to values will secure its role as an enduring leader in the grocery sector.
