Muji Expands Localization with Flagship Stores in Thailand and Vietnam

Regional expansion reaches a new phase

Muji is deepening its push into Southeast Asia with major new flagship stores in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, pairing its minimalist design DNA with a larger catalog of locally sourced products. The strategy goes beyond adding a few regional items. Muji is expanding the share of food, clothing, and household goods developed with local producers, tuned to local tastes, and priced for local wallets. The move reflects a growing focus on Southeast Asia as shoppers in Thailand and Vietnam seek quality everyday items without heavy branding, and it positions the retailer to react faster to changing preferences country by country.

The Bangkok flagship at CentralWorld is a clear example. Muji has nearly doubled the number of Thai made snacks and staples on its shelves to about 200 items, and management has set a goal of roughly 300 to 350 by 2030. Food currently represents around 4 percent of Muji’s Thailand revenue. The company wants that to climb to about 7 percent by 2028 and 10 percent by 2030, turning a small category into a steady contributor. The Vietnam flagship will follow a similar approach, building assortments that reflect local cuisines, climates, and household needs, while keeping the brand’s simple, logo free aesthetic.

The broader business context matters. Muji’s parent, Ryohin Keikaku, is leaning on Southeast Asia and Oceania as key growth engines at a time when its home market and China are more mature. The company has outlined medium term targets of roughly 1 trillion yen in revenue and 100 billion yen in operating profit by the fiscal year ending August 2028. Recent results underscore the region’s momentum, with Southeast Asia and Oceania revenue up by around 28 percent in the year to August. Flagship launches in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City are designed to accelerate that trajectory by making stores more relevant to daily life rather than just periodic home and lifestyle purchases.

What localization means for Muji shoppers

Localization in retail means more than translating signs. Shoppers will notice food items that match local tastes and habits, clothing cuts and fabrics suited to regional climates, and home goods built for typical apartment sizes in each city. Packaging and instructions appear in local languages, and seasonal ranges align with local holidays and school calendars. For Muji, the aim is to keep the core experience, calm stores and simple, functional design, while adjusting the mix so that a shopper in Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh City sees products that feel familiar and useful.

Behind the scenes, localization involves new supplier relationships and shorter supply routes. Store teams share feedback on what sells, what does not, and what customers request. Buyers use those signals to trial small batches from local factories and food producers, then scale what works. Local sourcing can also stabilize pricing by reducing exposure to swings in freight rates and exchange rates. It helps teams restock faster when an item suddenly catches on, and it limits waste by avoiding large imports of products that may not fit local preferences.

Food as a daily traffic driver

Food has become a central test of Muji’s local strategy in Thailand. The company says food accounts for around 4 percent of Thailand sales today, with goals of roughly 7 percent by 2028 and 10 percent by 2030. The Bangkok CentralWorld flagship now carries about 200 Thai made snacks and staples, with a plan to reach 300 to 350 by 2030. Examples already in stores include chocolate coated fruits using Thai mango and banana, natural mineral water sourced in Phetchabun, and preservative free shrimp snacks. These items are priced for frequent purchase, which helps bring customers back between larger lifestyle buys.

In retail, frequent visits lead to larger baskets over time. A shopper popping in for a drink or snack may also pick up storage boxes, socks, or kitchen tools. Groceries create that rhythm. They smooth revenue that has historically been tied to seasonal waves like back to school or home refresh cycles. For Muji, a wider food aisle builds daily relevance and deepens ties with local farmers and processors who supply the ingredients.

Fashion, home, and mobility with local edits

Clothing is being adapted for tropical climates and local body types. Lightweight cotton and linen, breathable knits, and quick drying materials suit long hot seasons. Size curves are adjusted to give better fit, and color choices reflect popular local palettes. Footwear must handle heavy rain, and accessories like hats and bags often compete with streetwear trends. The brand keeps silhouettes clean while allowing small edits that improve comfort for local customers.

Home goods and travel items are also evolving. Compact furniture and storage solutions fit smaller urban apartments. Locally produced rattan, bamboo, and wood pieces can match regional interiors. Travel and commuting products such as lightweight luggage, foldable carts, and bike accessories appeal in cities where two wheel transport is common. Service counters for embroidery, screen printing, and simple alterations turn standard items into personalized gifts without drifting from the minimalist look.

Thailand spotlight a market shaped by local tastes

Thailand has become one of Muji’s showcase markets for localization. The company operates dozens of stores nationwide, and its Thai arm was named Brand Store of the Year at the 2025 Retail Asia Awards, highlighting strong growth, inventive store formats, and community engagement. New openings in 2023 and 2024 drove double digit sales gains and higher foot traffic, and store blueprints have been tuned to fit regional preferences from Bangkok to the north and northeast.

Thai flagships function as community spaces as much as retail floors. Coffee corners encourage longer visits. Personalization counters let shoppers add embroidery or screen printing to clothing and fabric goods. Dedicated areas spotlight products made with local materials and techniques. Collaborations with universities and artisans have produced pieces inspired by Northern Thai heritage, and workshop programs give small producers a platform to reach city shoppers.

Bangkok flagship raises the local bar

The CentralWorld flagship spotlights the food push, with about 200 Thai made snacks and staples on opening and a target of 300 to 350 by 2030. The company’s plan to raise food’s share of Thailand revenue from around 4 percent today to near 7 percent by 2028 and 10 percent by 2030 would make groceries a meaningful contributor rather than a side act. A broader local assortment also trims import exposure, keeping prices steadier when supply chains or currencies move.

Groceries complement, rather than replace, home and lifestyle goods. Daily purchases create touchpoints that keep customers returning, which supports higher sell through on seasonal items like bedding, storage, and apparel. The local food aisle becomes a bridge from quick errands to considered purchases, helping the retailer capture both everyday spending and larger household upgrades.

Community and sustainability as brand anchors

Muji Thailand’s local food program includes chocolate coated fruits made with Thai mango and banana, preservative free shrimp snacks, and mineral water bottled in Phetchabun. These items support farmers and processors while aligning with the brand’s preference for simple formulas and low waste packaging. The approach is consistent with Muji’s long standing focus on materials, transparency, and lasting design.

Community programming keeps the concept grounded. In Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Udon Thani, and Korat, stores host maker workshops and craft showcases that tie retail to local culture. Turning stores into neighborhood hubs builds loyalty and creates a pipeline of new ideas that can be adapted across the country. That loop between store floor, local producer, and design team is a key ingredient in Muji’s localization formula.

Vietnam debut building a new regional hub

Ho Chi Minh City is the stage for Muji’s newest flagship in Vietnam, where a growing middle class and a young, urban population are reshaping consumption. The store is designed to meet daily needs and lifestyle upgrades with assortments tuned to local cooking, climates, and apartment living. The goal is to attract repeat visits with everyday items and then expand baskets with apparel and home goods that fit local budgets and taste.

Vietnam’s manufacturing base and design talent give Muji a strong platform for local sourcing. Textiles, bamboo and wood furniture, and everyday kitchenware can be developed with domestic partners, cutting lead times and enabling quick product trials. Categories expected to appeal include breathable clothing, compact modular storage, and foods that match local preferences on flavor and nutrition.

The flagship format signals a longer investment cycle. Large stores serve as brand showcases and training centers where teams test new services, refine layouts, and prepare for additional openings. A Vietnam hub can support faster expansion beyond Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi while feeding regional sourcing for nearby markets.

Why Southeast Asia matters to the growth plan

Muji’s medium term plan targets about 1 trillion yen in sales and 100 billion yen in operating profit by August 2028. To reach that scale, the company is counting on regions with headroom for store growth and category expansion. Southeast Asia and Oceania have delivered strong momentum, with revenue up roughly 28 percent in the latest year to August, and the shopper base is growing as incomes rise and urban retail districts mature.

Localization widens reach without losing brand clarity. A student might come for locally flavored snacks, then pick up study organizers. A family might return weekly for mineral water and add towels or storage baskets. That pattern reduces reliance on one time big purchases and creates a steadier blend of daily and seasonal sales.

Supply chains, currency, and the case for local sourcing

Global assortments come with risks. Freight costs can spike, exchange rates can swing, and long lead times leave buyers guessing what will sell months ahead. Local sourcing reduces those pressures. Shorter supply chains make it easier to correct course when an item underperforms, and less international freight cuts emissions and costs. Closer supplier relationships help maintain standards on materials and workmanship.

Localization is also a data driven process. Loyalty apps and point of sale systems show what is moving, at what price, and in what size. With that information, teams can place small trial orders with local factories, adjust packaging, or quickly retire slow movers. The agility is hard to match with long, import heavy pipelines.

Risks, competition, and what to watch

Localization must be managed carefully to protect brand trust. Taste profiles can be subjective, and quality variations can appear when production shifts to new suppliers. A broader range of local items can add complexity to inventory and display if training and guidance do not keep pace. The brand must keep its minimalist identity front and center while making many small local adjustments.

The competitive field is intense. Domestic lifestyle chains, global furniture and home leaders, and value focused variety retailers all compete for attention, often within the same malls. Prime retail space in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City comes at a premium, and shoppers expect fair prices. Progress will be visible in a few places: food’s share of sales in Thailand, repeat visit frequency, margin stability as local sourcing scales, and the speed at which pilots move from one flagship to nationwide rollout.

Key Points

• Muji opened new flagship stores in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, highlighting a stronger localization push.
• The Bangkok CentralWorld flagship doubled Thai made snacks to around 200 items, with a target of 300 to 350 by 2030.
• In Thailand, food accounts for about 4 percent of sales today, with goals of roughly 7 percent by 2028 and 10 percent by 2030.
• Locally sourced food, apparel, and home goods are central to the plan to match tastes and stabilize costs.
• Revenue in Southeast Asia and Oceania rose around 28 percent in the year to August, underscoring the region’s importance.
• Muji has outlined medium term targets of about 1 trillion yen in sales and 100 billion yen in operating profit by August 2028.
• Thailand serves as a showcase market, with award winning stores and community programs that feature local producers.
• The Vietnam flagship is intended to build a regional hub, tapping local manufacturing and design for faster product development.
• Localization can cut lead times and reduce currency risk, but requires vigilant quality control and staff training.
• Key markers to watch include a higher grocery mix, more frequent visits, stronger local collaborations, and margin resilience.