- Highlights 4 Years of Sustained Momentum for “TOPS TONGTIN,” Targeting 30% Sales Growth by Year-End 2026 with 180+ SMEs and 1,000 Products, While Unveiling a 5-Year Roadmap for Global Market Expansion
- Launches the Inaugural ‘TOPS TONGTIN SME Awards,’ Honoring 12 Outstanding Entrepreneurs and Reinforcing Its Mission as a Growth Partner for Sustainable Business Success
TOPS, under Central Retail (SET: CRC), celebrates the 4th anniversary of its “TOPS TONGTIN” initiative under the theme “LOCAL DISCOVERIES,” highlighting sustained cumulative sales growth and expanding modern retail access for Thai SMEs across its nationwide network. This continued momentum reflects strong demand for authentic Thai local products from both domestic shoppers and international tourists.
To mark this milestone, TOPS TONGTIN inaugurated the first-ever “TOPS TONGTIN SME Awards” at the 4th “TOPS TONGTIN Open House” at Central Pinklao, organized in collaboration with the Government Savings Bank (GSB) and the Regional Science Park (RSP) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). The event honored 12 outstanding Thai SME entrepreneurs, reaffirming TOPS’ commitment to enhancing product potential, unlocking commercial opportunities, and driving sustainable growth in domestic and international markets. Looking ahead, TOPS TONGTIN aims to close 2026 by expanding its network to over 180 SMEs, featuring more than 1,000 local products, and achieving 30% sales growth.
Mr. Thanawat Jirajariyavej, Managing Director, Central Food Retail under Central Retail, said, “Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are a vital driving force behind Thailand’s economy, contributing significantly to job creation, income distribution, and grassroots economic development. Meanwhile, modern trade plays a crucial role in connecting local entrepreneurs with a wider consumer base. According to Krungsri Research, Thailand’s modern retail market was valued at THB 4.5 trillion in 2024 and is projected to grow by an average of 3–3.5% annually during 2027–2028. This momentum highlights the tremendous potential of modern retail channels in unlocking market opportunities and driving business expansion for Thai SMEs. However, a key challenge for many entrepreneurs remains developing competitive products that meet changing market needs, as well as gaining access to modern distribution networks and new business frontiers.”
“At TOPS, we believe that retail businesses can play a role beyond simply serving as distribution channels. With our nationwide store network, deep understanding of consumer behavior, and more than six decades of retail experience, we are committed to leveraging these strengths to enhance the competitiveness of Thai entrepreneurs through the ‘TOPS TONGTIN’ initiative. Over the past four years, we have built a platform of opportunities that connects entrepreneurs with business growth prospects, from improving product quality and standards, enhancing packaging design, and expanding access to markets and consumers, to developing distribution channels both domestically and internationally. Our goal is to empower Thai local products to grow into strong, competitive brands with long-term growth potential.”
Mr. Thanawat continued, “Looking ahead over the next 3–5 years, we aim to elevate ‘TOPS TONGTIN’ into a comprehensive Growth Partner platform that supports the long-term growth of Thai SMEs through three key strategic priorities. These include expanding market opportunities; strengthening competitiveness by co-developing exclusive product formulations with existing entrepreneurs, expanding into new product categories, and exploring dedicated retail formats for SME products, including Standalone Stores, Hybrid Stores, and other suitable concepts; and connecting Thai products to global markets, with the aim of expanding our international presence to more than 12 countries, introducing at least 100 Thai products to export markets, and generating consistent, recurring orders. Our ultimate goal is to empower Thai entrepreneurs to grow from local businesses into competitive brands capable of reaching broader markets, while generating sustainable income for local communities. This commitment aligns with TOPS’ ‘12 Missions to Sustainable Retail’ strategy and our ‘Small Acts Together’ philosophy.”
Mr. Brian Hill, Head of International Business and Partnership at Central Food Retail under Central Retail, said, “The ‘TOPS TONGTIN’ initiative has achieved double-digit sales growth in each of the past four years. In the first nine months of 2026 (January–September), sales grew by 20% compared to the same period last year. The initiative now brings together a network of more than 169 SME entrepreneurs from over 40 provinces, offering more than 940 quality local products through TOPS’ nationwide retail network, spanning over 110 stores across all TOPS formats and more than 550 TOPS DAILY stores. These achievements reflect the strong potential of Thai local products to drive growth and compete effectively in the modern retail market.”
Mr. Brian added, “Based on the initiative’s performance and sales data in 2026, we have also identified three key insights that highlight emerging product trends, consumer behavior, and growth opportunities for Thai local products, as follows:
- Thai local products expand beyond food into the Health & Beauty market: The top five best-selling local product categories include packaged foods, which lead in both sales and growth, particularly protein bars and instant noodles from brands such as Fruit Bound and Bamee Mafia. These are followed by cooking ingredients and seasonings, including brands such as Por Jao and Ros Mue Nang; non-food products, particularly souvenirs from Think of Thailand; health and beauty products, driven by the growing
- T-Beauty trend; and packaged fresh foods, especially milk and yogurt products, which are gaining popularity in line with health-conscious consumer trends. Meanwhile, approximately 30% of products under the initiative are exclusive to TOPS (Only at TOPS), helping to strengthen product differentiation and create greater market opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs.
- Distinct Shopping Behaviors Among Thai and International Consumers Create Opportunities for Product and Packaging Development: Customer insights reveal that Thai shoppers tend to prefer smaller product sizes and affordable promotional offers, while product sampling plays an important role in encouraging trial and repeat purchases once they discover products they enjoy, such as Por Jao Chili Paste and Jub Sen Siam. Meanwhile, international tourists show strong interest in products that reflect Thailand’s unique identity, including souvenirs, carbonated beverages, snacks, and chocolates. Strong sales performance has been recorded at TOPS FOOD HALL locations in Bangkok, Phuket, Samui, Chonburi, and Chiang Mai, highlighting opportunities to further develop products and packaging tailored to the preferences and needs of both Thai and international consumers.
- Thai Local Products Expand into International Markets, with New Export Opportunities on the Horizon: TOPS TONGTIN began promoting Thai SME products in international markets in 2025, initially expanding into three markets. Today, its export footprint has grown to more than five markets, including China, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Hong Kong. More than 10 SME entrepreneurs have successfully introduced their products to international markets, including brands such as We Chips, Jello Boom, and Gin. TOPS TONGTIN is also preparing to support over 10 additional brands in entering export markets, while exploring opportunities for further expansion into the United Kingdom and India. These efforts aim to broaden distribution channels and unlock new growth opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs in the global marketplace.”
Another key highlight of the 4th anniversary celebration is the inaugural ‘TOPS TONGTIN SME Awards,’ recognizing outstanding Thai SME entrepreneurs for their achievements in sales performance, innovation, growth potential, and social and environmental sustainability. A total of 12 awards were presented across five key categories, including:
- Best Seller Awards: Recognizing outstanding sales performance across five product categories, the awards were presented to “Mae Aew” for the Best Seller Snack Award, “Pushers” for the Best Seller Beverage Award, “Por Jao” for the Best Seller Cooking Award, “Think of Thailand” for the Best Seller Non-Food Award, and “Bamee Mafia” for the Best Seller Packaged Food Award. These awards highlight the ability of Thai SME entrepreneurs to achieve strong sales performance across diverse product categories.
- Rising Star & Customer Choice Awards: Recognizing emerging brands and consumer favorites, the Rising Star Award was presented to “Loveza!” for achieving rapid growth as a new brand, while the Customer Choice Award was presented to “Fruit Bound” in recognition of its outstanding product quality and strong consumer trust.
- Innovation & Growth Awards: Recognizing product innovation and business growth potential, the Innovation Award was presented to “Gin” for developing innovative products that meet evolving consumer needs, while the Growth Potential Award was presented to “Jello Boom” in recognition of its strong potential to expand into new markets and distribution channels.
- Smart Choice Award: The Smart Choice Award was presented to “Rin” for its outstanding product quality, value for money, and commitment to developing products that meet market demands.
- Sustainability Awards: Recognizing outstanding contributions to social and environmental sustainability, the Sustainable Society Award was presented to
- “Cocoa Valley” for creating employment and income opportunities for more than 400 farming households in Nan Province, while the Eco-Sustainability Award was presented to “Monsoon Tea” in recognition of its environmentally responsible business practices and commitment to preserving forest ecosystems in Northern Thailand.
These awards reflect the initiative’s tangible success in empowering Thai SMEs to enhance their products and achieve meaningful business growth. Notable examples include Por Jao, which has achieved double-digit sales growth every year; Mae Aew, which has developed smaller-sized products to expand its market reach through TOPS DAILY; Cocoa Valley, a local brand that has expanded its cocoa cultivation area by more than 30%, increased production capacity by over 20%, and helped generate income for more than 400 local households; and Gin, which has leveraged product innovation to explore potential expansion into the United Kingdom market. Together, these achievements reaffirm TOPS’ commitment to strengthening the capabilities of Thai SMEs, creating new business opportunities, and enhancing their competitiveness, enabling them to grow sustainably and compete alongside leading brands in the market.
In addition, TOPS continues to expand its network of new SME entrepreneurs through the “TOPS TONGTIN Open House” initiative, covering all four regions of Thailand in collaboration with the Government Savings Bank and the Regional Science Park (RSP) under the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). The initiative provides SMEs with opportunities to showcase their products and participate in business matching sessions with TOPS TONGTIN’s team of experts. Across the first three events, more than 450 entrepreneurs applied to participate, over 300 were selected for the business matching process, and more than 100 are currently undergoing product development or business negotiations.
Most recently, the fourth and final Open House event of the year was held at Central Pinklao Shopping Center in collaboration with the Government Savings Bank and the Eastern Science and Innovation Park (Burapha University), providing SMEs from Thailand’s Central and Eastern regions with opportunities to present their products and enhance their prospects of entering the modern retail market.
“Over the past four years, TOPS TONGTIN has demonstrated its ability to serve as a platform that creates meaningful business growth opportunities for Thai SME entrepreneurs. We continue to expand our SME network through ongoing collaborations with public and private sector partners, while identifying and developing innovative new products and implementing marketing initiatives to raise awareness of the program. These include the ‘TOPS TONGTIN Open House’ events across all four regions of Thailand and the launch of the ‘TOPS TONGTIN SME Awards.’ With these continued efforts, we are confident that we will achieve our full-year sales growth target of 30% in 2026, while expanding our network to more than 180 SME entrepreneurs and increasing our product portfolio to over 1,000 items. These milestones further reinforce TOPS TONGTIN’s role as a platform for creating opportunities, strengthening the capabilities of Thai entrepreneurs, and driving sustainable, long-term growth in Thailand’s grassroots economy by helping Thai SMEs expand in domestic and international markets,” Mr. Thanawat concluded.
TOPS remains committed to continuously creating new opportunities for Thai SMEs and welcomes entrepreneurs with high-quality local products and strong growth potential to join the “TOPS TONGTIN” initiative. Through the program, entrepreneurs can collaborate with TOPS to enhance their products and expand their opportunities in the modern retail market.
