published works

Makro Food Service
Hua hin, Bangkok, Thailand

Makro is a leading wholesaler in the Kingdom of Thailand to the food and hospitality sector. Recently the company saw an opportunity to leverage its existing strengths to develop a new format and enlisted the help of rkd retail/iQ of Bangkok for the retail planning, design, architecture and graphics.

“Responding to the Thai wholesale market conditions, an opportunity had been identified to establish a new to the market HORECA hotel / restaurant / catering format specifically targeted at business owners in key tourist markets in the kingdom,” explain the designers for rkd retail/iQ.

The new hypermarket-style stores, shown here in a 83,850 sq. ft. space in Hua hin, build on Makro’s established leadership in the areas of assortment, distribution, operation and customer service expertise. Added to Makro’s strengths in the HORECA format are clarity of offer, increased service, competitive pricing and convenience.

Within the huge space customers can easily fulfill their needs. The layout of the store corresponds to the five key needs of restaurant and hospitality professionals: Prep, Cook, Serve, Bill and Clean. The well-considered merchandise selection and services replicate the processes of the customer’s businesses.

Retailers to the consumer trade could learn much from the planning and organization of Makro Food Services. Signage is scaled to match the space, labeling is clear and products logically arranged–making what could be an endurance test into a breeze of a shopping experience.

The color palette and graphics found in Makro Food Service’s new HORECA format help to create an easily shoppable store in spite of the huge size of the space. The basic white and gray color scheme allows the bright red graphics to stand out, and easily-read type fonts and large photos complete the message.