Carrefour Taiwan Rebranding to 'Kang Da Sheng Tong'? Uni-President Chairman Says Transition Starts in July

TAIPEI (CNA) - Regarding recent changes to some Carrefour social media map names to 'Kang Da Sheng Tong,' Uni-President Group Chairman Lo Chih-hsien did not directly confirm but stated that 'some preparatory work must be done,' particularly regarding government tax and licensing procedures. He noted that these processes are already underway and that the transition to the new brand name is expected to proceed gradually after July 1. Lo attended an event today celebrating the 600th store milestone for Cosmed and Starbucks. Uni-President announced the Carrefour renaming plan late last year, and the company was renamed 'Kang Da Sheng Tong Life Business Co., Ltd.' in March this year. Lo previously stated at the Uni-President shareholders' meeting that due to domestic regulations and contract restrictions, the new name could not be mentioned publicly before the end of June. He added that adjustments, such as signage, cannot be completed overnight, so the process will be extended. Furthermore, he discussed observations from the 24-hour Starbucks opened in Xinyi District last July, noting a surprisingly high proportion of older customers, suggesting they appreciate having a place to go at night. When asked about reports that Starbucks' profits have declined despite reaching 600 stores, Lo responded that the operation 'has never seen a decline in profitability.' He explained that the perception of a decline is due to periodic adjustments in royalty ratios affecting the accounting baseline, while overall operations remain on a steady growth path.