Tezuka Daisuke, Executive Officer, Chief Vietnam Business Officer of AEON, General Director of AEON Vietnam, speaks at press conference on September 11. — Photos courtesy of AEON

HÀ NỘI — AEON Group, on September 11, revealed its plan to open two new shopping malls, including AEON Thanh Hóa in October and AEON Hạ Long in November, expanding its network in the north-central and northern regions of Việt Nam.

These are two of the four shopping malls AEON plans to open in 2026, alongside AEON Đà Nẵng Thanh Khê (which began operations on July 1, 2026) and AEON Hải Dương (scheduled to open in Hải Phòng City in October 2026).

The successive expansion into new markets in 2026 further demonstrates AEON’s long-term development strategy in Việt Nam. Accordingly, AEON not only expands its network but also prioritises developing retail formats and services tailored to evolving consumer demands and local socio-economic characteristics.

Việt Nam continues to be a strategic market in AEON’s expansion plan

Since officially entering the Vietnamese retail market with AEON Tân Phú Celadon in 2014, AEON has gradually expanded its network and diversified its business models.

As of August 2026, companies under AEON Group in Việt Nam are operating a total of nine shopping centres, 16 general merchandise stores & supermarkets (GMS), 40 supermarkets (SM), 182 convenience stores, 71 speciality and service stores, and two drugstores.

AEON Hạ Long is designed around a “One-stop destination” concept, combining shopping, dining, entertainment, and services to suit the economic, service, and tourism characteristics of Quảng Ninh City.

Under its medium-term business plan for 2026–30, AEON plans to allocate approximately 60 per cent of the group’s total investment capital in ASEAN to Việt Nam, aiming to triple its business scale by 2030 and achieve a network of 300 stores nationwide.

AEON is accelerating its network expansion strategy through the development of diverse retail models, suitable for the economic scale, population density, and characteristics of each locality. From large-scale shopping centres, general merchandise stores and supermarkets to mid-sized models and supermarkets, AEON aims to step-by-step expand its presence in major urban areas, regional central cities, and suburban areas nationwide.

Consecutive shopping mall launches in new markets

Following the phase focused on development in the major cities of Hà Nội and HCM City, AEON is now stepping up expansion into dynamic regions with significant growth potential, including Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng, Thanh Hóa, Quảng Ninh and other provinces.

Sharing AEON's strategic vision in Việt Nam, Tezuka Daisuke, Executive Officer, Chief Vietnam Business Officer of AEON, General Director of AEON Vietnam, stated: “In 2026, with the opening of four new shopping centres, this is the fastest expansion speed ever in the business operations of AEON Group in Việt Nam. Currently, against the backdrop of Việt Nam’s strong development, AEON is continuing to expand to provinces and cities in other regions – where a strong shift towards a modern lifestyle is taking place.”

With a total gross floor area of 120,000 sq.m, AEON MALL Thanh Hóa is scheduled to open in October 2026. Inside AEON MALL Thanh Hóa is the AEON Thanh Hóa general merchandise store & supermarket (GMS), with a scale of 10,300 sq.m., and this is AEON’s 13th GMS in Việt Nam. The shopping space is arranged across three shopping floors, with a product and service portfolio meeting the various needs of customers.

With a scale of 10,300 sq.m., AEON Thanh Hóa general merchandise store & supermarket (GMS) is AEON’s 13th GMS in Việt Nam.

Scheduled to open in November 2026, AEON Hạ Long is located within AEON MALL Hạ Long, with a total gross floor area of 130,000 sq.m. The project is designed around a “One-stop destination” concept, combining shopping, dining, entertainment, and services to suit the economic, service, and tourism characteristics of Quảng Ninh City.

With a scale of 8,200 sq.m, AEON Hạ Long GMS is the 14th general merchandise store & supermarket of AEON in Việt Nam. Besides serving the shopping needs of local residents, the AEON Hạ Long GMS aims to serve tourists and customers in the hotel–restaurant–café/food & beverage sector.

The launch of AEON Thanh Hóa and AEON Hạ Long in the fourth quarter of 2026 further realises AEON's network expansion plan in Việt Nam for 2026.

Through the strategy of diversifying models and expanding the network nationwide, AEON aims to bring safe, high-quality products at reasonable prices closer to consumers. The group also wants to bring more convenient and diverse shopping experiences, elevating its products and supply chain and building the AEON ecosystem, thereby contributing to the development of the localities as well as of Việt Nam. — VNS