KUALA LUMPUR: Popular Korean convenience store emart24 aims to open 300 outlets in Malaysia within five years.
The company entered Malaysia, its first overseas market, in 2021 and now has 65 stores nationwide.
Emart24 also plans to open 17 more outlets in the East Coast this year due to strong customer demand for its affordable Korean street food and drinks made from halal ingredients.
Emart stores in East Coast now serve almost 300,000 customers each month.
Chief executive officer Vuitton Pang said it received an encouraging, strong response from Malaysian consumers, especially those in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang.
"We plan to more than double our store count in Terengganu from seven to 15 by year-end, while in Kelantan, we are already firm on opening six more to add to the current 14 stores there.
"For Pahang, we have earmarked three store locations to make it 10 by year-end from seven currently," he said, adding that the company was always open to proposals from property owners who felt there was a need for the store in their neighbourhood.
With consistent quality and affordable Korean street food and drinks served in a modern, sleek ambience, Pang is confident in meeting the tastes and preferences of Malaysian consumers.
Owned by Shinsegae Group, the largest retailer in South Korea, emart24 is the fastest-growing convenience store brand in South Korea, with more than 7,000 outlets in various formats and store sizes.
It has adopted a tagline of Rasa Korea, Hari Ceria, to fit its brand position of being the "destination for tasty Korean street food to brighten up your day.