Japan’s Aeon aims to expand from 12 to 100 general merchandise stores and super-supermarkets in Vietnam by 2030, Nikkei Asia has reported. It also plans to grow its network of smaller grocery stores to around 200 locations.

Key takeaways in the article include:

Aeon’s latest flagship is Aeon Xuan Thuy in Hanoi, offering prepared foods, cosmetics, furniture, clothing, and a 450-seat food court.
Prepared foods account for 30 percent of sales at Xuan Thuy, compared to 13 percent in Japan.
The group sees high demand for “super-supermarkets”: large-format stores blending groceries with in-store cooking, dining areas, and general merchandise.
Sumitomo Corp. and BRG Group plan to expand their FujiMart chain to 50 stores by 2028, targeting traditional market customers with freshness and bakery differentiation.
Yaoko, a Japanese regional chain, invested in Vietnam’s 3Sach chain as a stepping stone for global growth.
Masan Group leads locally with 3,800 WinMart and WinMart+ locations, aiming to add 1,000 stores per year.
Thailand’s Central Group is expanding aggressively, especially in rural areas.
Despite rapid growth, 70 to 80 percent of Vietnam’s retail still comes from mum-and-pop stores and wet markets, indicating large room for formal sector penetration.

Vietnam’s young, urbanising population and still-informal retail sector present a major growth frontier for Japanese and regional retailers. Aeon’s eightfold expansion plan signals long-term confidence in Vietnam’s rising consumer class and the value of combining groceries with lifestyle retail.