Matsumoto Kiyoshi to set up joint venture in Vietnam: VietnamPlus

Japanese drugstore operator Matsumoto Kiyoshi Holdings on Wednesday announced its plan to set up a joint venture in Vietnam to operate and develop the MatsuKiyo drug and cosmetics shop chain in the Southeast Asian country.

The firm signed a joint venture agreement with Vietnam’s Lotus Food Group Joint Stock Co. in July to form Matsumoto Kiyoshi Vietnam JSC in Ho Chi Minh City, which will be officially established in February 2020.

Capitalised with $1.36 million, the local unit is 51 percent owned by Matsumoto Kiyoshi, 48.87 percent by Lotus Food Group, and 0.13 percent by Le Van May, president and CEO of the local partner.

With the formation of the joint venture, the Japanese firm aims to expand its network to newly-emerged markets in Asia, including Vietnam where the cosmetics market was valued at about $2.3 billion at the end of 2018.

As of September 2019, Matsumoto Kiyoshi had run 34 stores in Thailand, five in Taiwan. It plans to set up more shops in Asia.

Set up in 1932, Matsumoto Kiyoshi Holdings Co., formerly known as Matsumoto Kiyoshi Ltd. based in Chiba, has currently managed and operated many drug and cosmetics retail and wholesale companies in Japan.

Source: VietnamPlus