Lotte Chilsung Expands Thai Market Presence Through CP Group’s Retail Network

Lotte Chilsung Beverage is expanding its reach in Thailand by collaborating with CP AXTRA, the retail division of the nation's largest conglomerate, CP Group. This partnership aims to give Lotte Chilsung access to significant retail channels, such as Makro and Lotus's, to boost sales of its beverage and bottled-water products.

On November 9, Lotte Chilsung signed a memorandum of understanding with CP AXTRA at the latter's headquarters in Bangkok. The ceremony was attended by Shin Yoo-yeol, head of the Future Growth Office at Lotte Corp., Tanit Chiravanan, CEO of CP AXTRA, and executives responsible for global businesses from both companies.

Through this agreement, Lotte Chilsung aims to utilize CP AXTRA's distribution network to boost its local sales of beverage and bottled-water brands. The company began testing the Thai market with exports of products like Chilsung Cider and Milkis to CP AXTRA in late 2025 to assess consumer response.

Now, the company intends to expand its distribution through Makro and eventually broaden its sales channels based on the market's response. Thailand has proven to be a promising overseas market for Lotte Chilsung, with its beverage exports to the country growing at a double-digit rate from 2022 to 2025, driven by a strong local interest in Korean food and beverages.

Lotte Chilsung is also considering expanding its export portfolio to introduce products exclusively developed for CP AXTRA. Specific products and the extent of future distribution are yet to be decided, pending further analysis of local demand and market conditions. Lotte Wellfood is also involved in the partnership, which could lead to broader cooperation among Lotte's food businesses.

The two companies intend to leverage CP AXTRA's extensive distribution network and customer market data across Thailand and Southeast Asia to explore additional collaboration areas. While the current agreement primarily focuses on Lotte Chilsung's beverage business, the companies may also consider long-term cooperation, including joint product development. The agreement's primary focus, however, remains on the Korean beverage business.