Digital Transformation: The Catalyst Elevating the Consumer-Retail Ecosystem

This solution not only slashes costs but also fosters a competitive edge in an increasingly fierce market.

Digital Transformation: An Inevitable Trend for Vietnam’s Retail Sector

The global retail industry is undergoing a profound transformation as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data emerge as core tools for operational optimization. According to McKinsey, 65% of global organizations have integrated AI into their operations, nearly doubling from the previous year. This integration enables the analysis of vast datasets to forecast market trends, personalize customer experiences, and mitigate supply chain risks.

In Vietnam, modern trade is rapidly expanding, with intense competition among domestic and international enterprises. Retailers view technology as the key to gaining an edge, from inventory management and digital payments to e-commerce and personalized customer experiences. Vietnam’s AI market is projected to reach $1 billion by 2025, growing at an annual rate of 30%. Globally, McKinsey estimates AI could generate $2.6 to $4.4 trillion annually, primarily in customer operations, marketing, and sales. In this context, success is no longer solely determined by the number of outlets but by technological capabilities to control costs, capture demand, and retain customers. Simultaneously, the government’s National Digital Transformation Program by 2030 provides a favorable legal framework for AI and data implementation. Digital transformation is now a necessity for retail survival, not just an option.

Amid this landscape, many local businesses are accelerating their digital shift, with leading consumer-retail conglomerates like Masan (Hose: MSN) pioneering the integration of technology and data into their core strategies.

AI-First Digital Backbone: Masan’s Strategic Foundation

Under its new development strategy, Masan has built a digital transformation platform centered on AI, serving as the backbone for its entire consumer-retail ecosystem. The platform focuses on leveraging real-time data to automate demand forecasting, ordering, supply chain management, and store operations. This AI-driven approach not only optimizes costs and reduces waste but also creates new competitive advantages through agile responses to shifting consumer behaviors.

A standout example is WiNARE, an AI-powered automated ordering system for Masan’s retail chain, WinCommerce. By the end of 2025, WiNARE is expected to reduce employee workload by at least 15% and cut meat spoilage losses by nearly 2% of revenue, saving tens of billions of VND monthly. Shelf availability has increased from 80% to nearly 90%. The system is expanding to seafood, produce, and processed foods, with plans to cover 70% of categories by late 2025.

WiNARE’s implementation demonstrates that Masan’s digital transformation strategy is not just theoretical but delivers tangible results: reduced manual labor, optimized fresh food management, and enhanced shopping experiences.

Data and AI: Long-Term Competitive Advantage

In the data-driven era, competitive advantage stems not just from store count or product range but from the ability to collect, analyze, and apply data to optimize operations and elevate customer experiences. With AI and real-time data advancing rapidly, retailers can set new standards for efficiency, transparency, and market adaptability.

Investing in a unified technology platform not only enhances Masan’s operational efficiency but also secures long-term competitive advantages. By connecting its retail (WinMart/WinMart+/WiN under WinCommerce), fast-moving consumer goods (Masan Consumer), food (Masan MEATLife), and financial services segments on a single data platform, the conglomerate can synchronize supply chains, reduce costs, and respond faster to market shifts.

Experts note that AI adoption in Vietnam’s modern retail sector is still in its early stages. This presents an opportunity for pioneers to set new operational benchmarks and build investor confidence.

Long-term, Masan’s technology strategy aligns with its plan to expand WinCommerce to 8,000 stores by 2030. As scale doubles, competitive advantage will shift from outlet count to streamlined, efficient operations and seamless customer experiences. Digital transformation in retail is no longer optional but imperative. With its AI-first approach to automation and digitization, Masan is positioned as a leading domestic enterprise leveraging AI for new competitive edges.

According to BVSC’s September 2025 update, Masan’s outlook is positive, with projected 2025 revenue of VND 85.042 trillion (+2.2% YoY) and post-tax profit of VND 3.501 trillion (+75.1% YoY). BVSC recommends an OUTPERFORM rating for MSN stock, with a target price of VND 106,000 per share, highlighting growth drivers from WinCommerce, Masan MEATLife, Masan High-Tech Materials, and Phúc Long, while Masan Consumer is expected to recover strongly from 2026.