Central Food Retail Company Limited, a subsidiary of Central Retail Public Company Limited (SET: CRC) and operator of the TOPS, TOPS FOOD HALL, TOPS DAILY, TOPS ONLINE, TOPS CARE, and Matsukiyo brands, is driving a major expansion of its business portfolio with the announcement of its full-scale entry into the Food-to-Go segment. This move directly addresses the ‘Meal Blur’ phenomenon and the ‘Snackification’ trend among modern consumers, which are tearing down the boundaries between main meals and snacks to merge them into one. As part of this expansion, the company is launching ‘HARUKI’, its first standalone Japanese homemade bakery, bringing to life the concept of an ‘Affordable Japanese Homemade Bakery’. HARUKI will offer high-quality bakery products crafted in accordance with the ‘Japanese Dough Philosophy’ at accessible prices starting at just 30 Baht. The first branch is set to officially debut at Central Northville on July 3, 2026, aiming to deliver ultimate convenience and flexibility while establishing itself as a true ‘Everyday Bakery’ for urban dwellers.
Mr. Thanawat Jirajariyavej, Managing Director, Central Food Retail under Central Retail, shared, “The Food-to-Go market has emerged as a cornerstone segment within the food and retail industries, fueled by consumers prioritizing speed, quality, convenience, and value in their fast-paced lifestyles. This shift is most pronounced among Gen Z and Millennials, with over two-fifths of global consumers now opting for snacks or grab-and-go options to replace at least one main meal daily (Source: Innova Market Insights). This movement highlights the ‘Meal Blur’ phenomenon, a shifting consumer habit that is dissolving the traditional boundaries between main meals and casual snacks. Parallel to this is the ‘Snackification’ trend, which drives modern consumers toward quick, convenient, and highly portable foods suitable for anytime consumption—yet without compromising on the high nutritional value needed to fuel a busy day. Ultimately, Food-to-Go and bakery categories are moving beyond simple treats, establishing themselves as essential components of the modern consumer’s daily diet.”
In addition, this trend is in line with the Thai bakery market, which is currently valued at more than THB 40 billion and continues to grow at an average annual rate of 4% to 5%. This growth is being driven by evolving consumer lifestyles, particularly the expanding café culture and the rising popularity of Grab-and-Go options. Meanwhile, one of the bakery market segments showing highly remarkable growth is Soft Bread and Japanese-style Bakery. This category has gained widespread popularity for its soft texture and ease of consumption, evolving into a true ‘comfort food’ perfect for any time of day. This demand is further fueled by the ongoing popularity of Japanese cuisine and culture. According to the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), more than 1.23 million Thai tourists traveled to Japan in 2025, reflecting consumers’ deep familiarity with Japanese flavors, quality standards, and dining culture. As a result, Japanese-style bakery has successfully shifted from a niche category into one of the highest potential, high-growth segments in Thailand’s bakery market.
The growth of the Food-to-Go market, coupled with the strong potential of the Japanese style bakery segment, has created an opportunity for Central Food Retail to extend its bakery expertise into a new business. Consequently, the company is launching ‘HARUKI’ as its first standalone bakery shop at Central Northville—a strategic location in northern Bangkok and Nonthaburi—aiming to expand its reach beyond traditional supermarket customers and build a New Growth Platform for the company’s food business portfolio. Under the concept of an ‘Affordable Japanese Homemade Bakery’, HARUKI is dedicated to offering premium-quality, Japanese-style baked goods at accessible prices starting at just 30 Baht, while perfectly catering to modern consumers seeking freshness, authenticity, and everyday value.
HARUKI draws inspiration from Japan’s homemade bakery culture, where neighbourhood bakeries form an integral part of everyday community life. The store has been designed around an Open Space and Open Kitchen concept, allowing customers to experience the aroma and freshness of bread baked throughout the day. The brand brings the philosophy of “Baked the Japanese Way” to life through meticulous attention to every stage of the process, from ingredient selection and in-store baking to menu development. This commitment ensures quality, freshness, and authentic Japanese-style flavours suited to everyday consumption through a line-up of more than 100 items, including everyday bakery items suitable for all occasions, signature products that showcase the brand’s expertise and identity, and seasonal specials that rotate regularly to provide consumers with fresh experiences throughout the year. The experience is further enhanced by a beverage menu featuring more than 20 selections, including Kinako Coffee, Kinako Matcha Latte, and other Japanese-inspired drinks specially designed to complement the bakery range.
Highlighted menu items include:
- Haru Miso Pan — The brand’s signature product, inspired by Japan’s miso culture. It delivers comforting flavours in a contemporary bakery format through HARUKI’s exclusive Miso Butter recipe, offering rich umami notes, a delicate aroma, and a light, soft Japanese-style texture.
- Mentaiko Creations — A savoury bakery collection inspired by ‘Mentaiko’, Japan’s iconic seasoned cod roe. These products stand out through their balance of umami flavour, rich creaminess, and soft bread texture, capturing the appeal of Japanese comfort flavours suitable for everyday enjoyment.
- Japanese-Inspired Bakery Collection — A range developed using Japanese baking principles and carefully selected ingredients sourced from Japan, delivering a simple yet refined taste experience with meticulous attention to detail in every bite.
Special Launch Promotion! To celebrate the official opening of its first branch, HARUKI will be serving its signature Freshly Baked Haru Miso Pan, baked fresh in batches throughout the day in limited quantities of only 100 pieces per round. Customers spending 399 Baht or more will also receive an exclusively designed, Limited Edition Haruki Bag & Bandana worth 500 Baht, available only from July 3 to 12, 2026.
“The launch of HARUKI Bakery Shop represents another step for Central Food Retail in expanding its business into the standalone bakery market to respond to the growth of the Food-to-Go sector. The company aims to expand HARUKI Bakery Shop to more than 20 branches by 2030 through locations that align with modern consumer lifestyles, including lifestyle malls, community malls, and office buildings, in order to drive HARUKI to become one of the leading Japanese-style bakery destinations for Thai consumers and cater to continuously growing consumption opportunities in the future,” concluded Mr. Thanawat
Get ready to experience “HARUKI Bakery Shop”, the first standalone Japanese homemade bakery, starting from July 3, 2026, onwards at Central Northville. For more details, please follow Facebook: HARUKI Thailand.
