Pharmacity

In 2008, while working at Ho Chi Minh Securities Corporation (HSC), Chris Blank, noticed how often Vietnamese people decided to turn to pharmacists at traditional pharmacies for their medical aid instead of seeing a professional doctor. As such, a good and reliable supply of pharmaceuticals would be extremely helpful for local people.

A few years later, with the nationwide surge of electronics supermarkets and convenience stores, he realized that the adoption of such a modern commerce model in Vietnam would bring a good and reliable supply of pharmaceuticals for local people.

Therefore, in 2011, Chris Blank and his two colleagues from HSCdecided to build Pharmacity as the first cutting-edge retail pharmacy chain in Vietnam. All items at the stores are sourced directly from authorized distributors and manufacturers—rather than through wholesalers or informal traders —to serve customers with the highest quality and authentic products.

In the first few years, there was no existing example in Vietnam of how to start up a modern pharmacy chain. Pharmacity was the pioneer in an exotic landscape dominated by traditional and informal shops.

Moreover, at the initial stage of growth, Pharmacity was not large enough to leverage economies of scale. For instance, their relatively small order quantities could not qualify them to buy direct from manufacturers and thus, delivering the best bargains for their customers.

It was not easy for a start-up to quickly expand and gain market share while simultaneously ensuring its bottom line. The pressures grew day by day: rental costs, inventory, staff training, salary, to name a few.

A decade since its establishment, Pharmacity has achieved its original goal of a convenient pharmacy concept, which helps customers save their time and efforts to select and purchase their desired products without geographic limitations. It is now the biggest state-of-the-art pharmacy chain operating 936 stores nationwide (as of 31 May 2023).

Shopping in the stores, you will experience supportive pharmacists who have the outstanding product knowledge and consultation skills.

By the end of 2025, the company aims to open 5,000 stores throughout Vietnam, allowing 50 percent of the population access to a Pharmacity store within a 10-minute drive. In the next five years, the company aims to develop a healthcare ecosystem, integrating its traditional retail business with primary medical services, insurance products, and healthcare services.