Uni-President Enterprises Corp (UPE, 統一企業) aims to make Taiwan, China and Southeast Asian markets the core pillar of its business in the future, the company said at an investors’ conference yesterday.
Driven by the outstanding performance of its Taiwanese subsidiary, President Chain Store Corp (PCSC, 統一超商), and its Chinese subsidiary, Uni-President China Holdings Ltd (UPC, 統一中國控股), the company reported revenue of NT$416.15 billion (US$12.82 billion) for last year.
Together with reinvestments and contributions from several other subsidiaries, UPE chairman Alex Lo (羅智先) said he is confident that the company’s consolidated revenue could reach the trillion-New Taiwan dollar mark in the near future.
UPE is expected to expand in China’s metropolitan areas after seeing UPC’s net income last year rise 192 percent annually to 835 million yuan (US$129.59 million).
Lo said metropolitan areas with populations of 250 million to 300 million are enough for the company to operate for a long time.
As for the Taiwan market, Lo said that the company would focus on fresh food, frozen items and bakeries.
UPE owns a variety of bakery brands. It introduced two new brands last year, Un Jour A Paris (昂舒巴黎) and Bellopane (貝洛邦), focusing on producing high-end, European-style bread.
In addition, the company plans to target Southeast Asian markets, Lo said.
“Southeast Asian markets account for about 550 million to 600 million people,” Lo said. “With more free-trade agreements in such markets, there is a lot of business potential.”
UPE is known for operating 7-Eleven, Taiwan’s largest convenience store chain, through its affiliate PCSC, which has expanded to Shanghai and the Philippines.
The number of 7-Eleven stores in the Philippines is expected to reach more than 1,900 by the end of this year, PCSC announced last month.
Lo’s father-in-law and UPE founder, Kao Ching-yuan (高清愿), died at the age of 88 last month. There were concerns about the next step of the company, given that Lo has established a rule stipulating that key executives must retire at the age of 60 to make way for new talent.
Lo is to turn 60 years old this year, but he declined to comment on the issue yesterday.
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