7-Eleven Adds More Ground in Its Ongoing Global Expansion

IRVING, Texas — 7-Eleven Inc. is expanding its presence globally with entry into Laos.

The convenience store retailer signed a master franchise agreement with CP ALL Co. Ltd., an indirect subsidiary of CP ALL Public Co. Ltd., to develop and operate 7-Eleven stores in The Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The first 7-Eleven c-store in Laos is expected to open in the capital city of Vientiane.

With the addition of Laos, CP ALL now holds licensing agreements to operate 7-Eleven stores in two adjacent Asian countries. CP ALL has had a 7-Eleven licensing agreement in its home country of Thailand for more than 30 years and signed a master franchise agreement for Cambodia earlier this year, as Convenience Store News previously reported.

"With its remarkable success in Thailand, I can think of no one better than CP ALL to bring the 7-Eleven brand to consumers in Laos," said 7-Eleven Inc. President and CEO Joe DePinto. "This relationship promises to bring additional jobs and economic opportunities throughout region."

In 1988, CP ALL was established to operate 7-Eleven stores in Thailand under an exclusive licensing agreement with 7-Eleven Inc. The first Thailand 7-Eleven store opened in Bangkok in 1989, and CP ALL now operates more than 12,000 stores in the country.

Laos will be the 20th country where 7-Eleven operates or will operate stores. The retailer hit the milestone of 71,100 c-stores with the opening of a new location in Seoul, South Korea, earlier this summer. Today the global retailer is the largest convenience brand in the world.

In addition to the United States, Canada, Thailand, Cambodia and South Korea, 7-Eleven also operates in Mexico, Japan, Taiwan (including Hong Kong), Korea, Taiwan (including Hong Kong), the Philippines, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, United Arab Emirates, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and India.