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 after its establishment, Pharmacity has achieved its original goal of a convenient pharmacy concept. This concept helps customers save time and effort by selecting and purchasing their desired products without geographic limitations. Shopping in the stores, you will experience supportive pharmacists who have outstanding product knowledge and consultation skills.

Pharmacity is now one of the biggest state-of-the-art pharmacy chains, operating more than 930 stores nationwide (as of July 2024).