Thailand-invested MM Mega Market Vietnam is searching for a location in Vinh Yen town, capital of the northern province of Vinh Phuc, to build a hypermarket.
Bruno Jousselin, CEO of MM Mega Market Vietnam, made the proposal at a meeting with Tran Duy Dong, Chairman of the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee, on Thursday.
Bruno Jousselin, CEO of MM Mega Market Vietnam, talks with Chairman of the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong in the northern province, March 7, 2024. Photo courtesy of Vinh Phuc newspaper.
Jousselin expressed high regard for the province’s geographical location, infrastructure, and investment attraction policies. He proposed that the people’s committee facilitate its search for suitable investment locations and streamline project procedures in line with regulations.
During the meeting, Chairman Dong noted the significant demand for commercial transactions and shopping in the province, adding that Vinh Phuc is yet to have a commercial center at a suitably high level.
He expressed support for the company’s proposal and instructed the Department of Construction, the Center for Investment Promotion and Enterprise Support, and relevant departments to collaborate with MM Mega Market Vietnam in identifying investment locations that align with the province’s planning and land use plan for Vinh Yen town.
Dong also urged the company to review potential investment locations based on suggestions from provincial departments to ensure that they are suitable and convenient for site clearance.
The chairman recommended that the company consider leasing existing premises in urban areas within the province to expedite the project’s development.
MM Mega Market Vietnam, a subsidiary of Thailand’s TCC Group, primarily focuses on trade and services. After 23 years of operation, the company has expanded its network to include 21 supermarkets, seven warehouses, five logistics centers, two central distribution centers, and two warehouses for fresh products. The firm employs over 4,000 people and has over 2,000 suppliers across the country.
MM Mega Market Vietnam last November broke ground on its first department store in Vietnam, signalling a strong commitment to expanding its presence in the Southeast Asian nation.
The facility, costing nearly $20 million, spans 19,197 square meters on Nguyen Sinh Sac street in Lien Chieu district of the central city of Danang and incorporates recyclable and energy-saving materials. The MM Mega Market Danang is expected to come on stream in late 2025.
SK Group’s subsidiary seeks to expand in Vinh Phuc
On the same day, during a meeting with ChairmanDong, Yoo Jin-Han, chief financial officer of SKC and CEO of ISC Company under South Korea’s SK Group, asked Vinh Phuc to provide favorable conditions for ISC to expand its production capacity in the province, especially in terms of human resources, with the goal of making the ISC Vina factory a key production base for SK Group in Vietnam.
Chairman of the Vinh Phuc People’s Committee Tran Duy Dong (fourth, right) and SKC representatives at their meeting in the province on March 6, 2025. Photo courtesy of Vinh Phuc newspaper.
ISC Company specializes in manufacturing semiconductor test sockets and is currently investing in the ISC Vina factory project at Ba Thien 2 Industrial Park in Binh Xuyen district, Vinh Phuc. The factory spans nearly two hectares, with total registered investment capital of over $12.3 million.
The ISC Vina factory produces five main products, including plastic and synthetic rubber in primary form, metal products, electronic components, mechanical and metal processing and coating, and plastic and aluminum molds for the semiconductor industry.
The project currently employs over 900 workers, and in 2024, it is expected to generate nearly $29 million in export revenue, contributing more than $340,000 to the state budget.
Dong commended SK Group’s expansion as aligned with Vinh Phuc’s investment attraction goals.
Regarding the company’s request for assistance with human resource challenges, Dong assured that the province has plans to provide high-quality workers and social housing for employees, meeting the needs of investors.
Vinh Phuc is a manufacturing hub in northern Vietnam, together with Hanoi, Hai Phong, Hai Duong, Ha Nam, Bac Ninh, and Thai Nguyen.
Japanese keiretsu Sumitomo is keen to build its second industrial park in Vinh Phuc, a representative told local authorities in mid February.
Sumitomo-invested industrial parks in Vietnam include Thang Long in Hanoi, Thang Long II in the neighboring province of Hung Yen, and Thang Long Vinh Phuc in Vinh Phuc province,
Sun Group, Vietnam’s leading real estate developer, proposed 14 projects in the south-central province of Khanh Hoa, including the Van Phong International Airport, at a meeting with provincial leaders last Wednesday.
Cam Ranh International Airport in Khanh Hoa province, south-central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of An ninh Thu do (Capital Security) newspaper.
According to a document submitted by the provincial People’s Committee to the Ministry of Transport in late 2024, Khanh Hoa proposed developing Van Phong International Airport through a public-private partnership (PPP), with an initial estimated cost of VND9.2 trillion ($363 million).
The state will oversee relocation, land clearance, and certain flight operation infrastructure, while PPP investors will be responsible for building airport facilities, civil aviation areas, and a connecting traffic system.
Van Phong airport will be located in Van Thang commune in Van Ninh district, 65 km south of Nha Trang town, 108 km south of Cam Ranh International Airport, and 48 km south of Tuy Hoa Airport in the neighboring province of Phu Yen. Its northeast-southwest runway will be 3,050 meters long.
The airport will span 497 hectares, including 10 ha managed by the military. Notably, it will be built on land reclaimed from the sea
The project will have an initial capacity of 1.5 million passengers a year. It will meet level 4E design standards and also function as a level 1 military airport.
If approved, work will start as early as this year and the completion deadline will be by 2029. The airport is part of Van Phong Economic Zone, one of three key economic zones in Khanh Hoa province.
According to the master plan of Khanh Hoa, the 150,000 ha zone plays a leading role in attracting investment and is a driving force of the economic development of neighboring regions and the whole country.
Also at the Wednesday meeting, Sun Group expressed its wish to develop several urban areas in the province such as Co Ma, Tu Bong, and Dam Mon, and the Ho Na luxury resort. Notably, the Co Ma urban area is scheduled to start in July 2025.
Addressing the function, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan affirmed that Khanh Hoa always welcomes and creates the most favorable conditions for businesses and investors to implement projects in the province.
During the implementation process, any difficulties or obstacles will be promptly resolved by the provincial leadership and relevant departments, he noted. Tuan asked Sun Group to accelerate the progress of the ongoing projects in the province.
Sun Group is one of the leading multi-sector conglomerates in Vietnam, engaging in real estate, resort tourism, entertainment, and infrastructure investment. Recently, the group also proposed investing in the second phase of Phu Quoc International Airport in the southern province of Kien Giang to serve the 2027 APEC Economic Leaders’ Week.
It committed to completing this project within 16-18 months after land clearance is finished. Once completed, the airport can accommodate 18-20 million passengers and handle 50,000 tons annually.
Sun Group has invested in Van Don International Airport in the northern province of Quang Ninh under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) format. It has also been designated as a contractor for the Gia Bình International Airport project, with a committed completion time of 12 months.
The Prime Minister has approved investment policy for infrastructure development at the Nam Trang Cat industrial zone in the northern port city of Hai Phong.
Spearheaded by Vinhomes Industrial Zone Investment JSC, the project will span 200.39ha in Trang Cat ward, Hai An district, boasting an investment of over 2.25 trillion VND (88.6 million USD), with Vinhomes pouring in 337.9 billion VND.
The venture is set for a 50-year operational term, starting on January 14, 2024.
The Hai Phong Economic Zone Authority (HEZA) is setting its sights high for 2025, aiming to attract 3-3.5 billion USD in foreign direct investment (FDI), according to its head Le Trung Kien.
HEZA reported that in 2024, FDI inflows into industrial and economic zones soared to 4.35 billion USD, or 242% of the target. Cumulatively, total FDI in these zones now stands at 30.3 billion USD, with over 77% of projects concentrated in high-tech, manufacturing, processing, and logistics.
Last year, firms operating in local industrial and economic zones generated a total revenue of 33.5 billion USD, equivalent to 105% of the target. Their exports were estimated at 28.5 billion USD, or 109% of the yearly target while imports totaled 22.8 billion USD, achieving 107%. Their tax contributions to the state budget amounted to 12.35 trillion VND (494 million USD), meeting 104% of the target.
This boom has led to employment for 210,182 workers, each earning an average of 11.52 million VND per month.
Banpu NEXT, a subsidiary of Thailand’s leading renewable energy firm Banpu, and SolarBK, a leading clean energy company in Vietnam, will jointly provide at least 390 MW of rooftop solar power in Vietnam.
Banpu NEXT and SolarBK have established a joint venture for the move, the Thai firm said on Friday.
The joint venture will focus on solar power development for the commercial and industrial (C&I) sector in Vietnam.
Executives of SolarBK and Banpu NEXT sign an agreement on March 6, 2025. Photo courtesy of Banpu NEXT.
The joint venture strives to provide service to export manufacturers, eco-industrial parks, high-tech parks, and data centers.
This move aligns with Vietnam’s ambitious renewable energy goals, with electricity generation projected to reach 124.57 billion kWh by 2025 with an anticipated annual growth rate of 3.35%, according to Banpu.
Vietnam’s rapid expansion in renewable energy, driven by government incentives and a growing commitment to sustainable development, makes the country a prime market for the sector.
As of end-2024, Banpu, the parent entity of Banpu Next, had three renewable energy projects in Vietnam. The 37.6-MW El Wind Mui Dinh wind power plant and the 35-MW Nhon Hai solar power plant, both in Ninh Thuan province, are operational. The 80-MW Vinh Chau wind power plant in Soc Trang province is waiting for commercial opeation date (COD) approval.
Meanwhile, Banpu Next reached a total committed capacity of 53.1 MW in Vietnam for rooftop and floating solar power in Vietnam.
