Karavan, C.P. Vietnam partner in digitalizing food supply chain

The two parties will collaborate to expand C.P. Vietnam’s product portfolio to general trade and hotel-restaurant-catering, cafe, canteen (HORECA) segments in Vietnam via Karavan’s centralized platform. This platform connects brands directly with small- and medium-sized (SME) merchants in key cities, including Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, and nearby provinces.

Pawin Sriusvagool, Founder & CEO of Karavan (4th from left) and Montri Suwanposri, President of C.P. Vietnam (3rd from left) at the partnership ceremony. Photo by Karavan

The cooperation will enable C.P. Vietnam to expand its customer base, tapping into Karavan’s ready-to-scale network of about 200,000 merchants nationwide.

B2B e-commerce sees abundant growth opportunities as the retail landscape in Vietnam is still dominated by traditional trade channels, such as wet markets and mom-and-pop stores. The local supply chain is currently fragmented with relatively low levels of digitization.

Karavan aims to digitalize and streamline the traditional retail supply chain through its one-stop sourcing platform, connecting fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands and food suppliers directly to SME businesses, including mom-and-pop stores, coffee shops, hotels, restaurants and catering.

Representatives from C.P. Vietnam, Karavan and its partners at the product display booth. Photo by Karavan

Pawin Sriusvagool, Founder & CEO of Karavan, said: "Karavan has the vision to become the leading B2B marketplace platform in Vietnam. We want to be the platform that connects FMCG brands and food suppliers to small business owners. We aspire to empower our merchants with superior supply chain technology, allowing our customers to purchase products at cheaper prices with faster and reliable services."

Karavan's merchants could make payments digitally via QR payments and can use POS machines to improve their operations.

Montri Suwanposri, President of C.P. Vietnam, said: "The strategic collaboration not only creates great synergistic value for both businesses but also benefits small and medium enterprises, along with positive benefits for end-consumers."

Karavan has achieved growth in the past 12 months, partnering with major FMCG suppliers, and has grown 20% month-on-month in gross merchandise value (GMV) since its establishment in 2021.

Karavan’s salesman instructs a merchant to order Five Star CP sausages on Karavan’s application. Photo by Karavan

Founded in 2021, Karavan is a Vietnam-based B2B e-commerce startup that aims to digitalize and streamline Vietnam’s traditional retail supply chain through one centralized platform, by connecting brands directly to SME merchants, across General Trade and HORECA segments.

Karavan focuses on the supply-side via building relationships with brands, and enabling them with real-time visibility and control throughout the distribution process. For SME retailers, Karavan strives to maximize their value and unlock their full potential, by providing a one-stop sourcing platform, and later empowering them with QR payments, Point-of-sale (POS) systems, mobile top-up, financing, group buy programs, and loyalty schemes.

Established in 1988, C.P. Vietnam Corporation, a subsidiary of the Charoen Pokphand Group (founded in 1921 in Bangkok, Thailand), operates a fully integrated agro-industrial and food business. The company has collaborated with Vietnamese livestock and aquaculture farmers to utilize a modern agro-industrial model, monitor the value chain beginning with the source of input materials, breeders, and animal feed, and ending with food processing and distribution.