[Exclusive] GS25: "Opening Stores in Cambodia"... Begins Placing Product Orders, Enters by Year-End

Product supply requests to Korean food companies follow July trademark registration

Third overseas market entry, after Vietnam and Mongolia, is imminent

Head-to-head “K-convenience store” battle in Cambodia with early entrant emart24

GS25 has begun securing products for its entry into the Cambodian market. After registering its local trademark in July, it has asked Korean food companies to supply products and started practical preparations for opening stores. With the first store expected to open as early as the end of this year, competition with Emart24, which has already entered the market, is also expected to intensify in the K-convenience store sector.

According to reporting by The Asia Business Daily on Oct. 19, GS25 has recently been placing orders with major Korean food manufacturers, or national brand (NB) companies, for products to sell at its stores in Cambodia. Because supplying Korean-made food products to local stores requires considerable time for export procedures, customs clearance and delivery to distribution centers, the move is seen as an effort to secure the necessary inventory ahead of the opening.

Industry insiders expect GS25 to open its first store in Cambodia as early as the end of this year, or by early next year at the latest. However, the specific opening date, store location and initial scale of its rollout have not yet been finalized. A GS Retail official said, "We have completed our analysis of the business case for entering Cambodia. Although the specific opening date has not been set, we are considering moving ahead with the business in earnest."

GS25's Hanoi store in Vietnam. GS Retail

GS25 completed its local trademark registration in Cambodia in July. At the time, the company said the registration was a preliminary step toward overseas expansion and that it had not yet decided whether to open stores there. However, the recent product orders have led to assessments that its entry into the market has become more tangible.

If GS25 enters Cambodia, it will become its third overseas market, following Vietnam and Mongolia. GS25 has expanded its overseas business by entering Vietnam in 2018 and Mongolia in 2021. The strategy aims to secure new growth drivers, particularly in Southeast Asia, as growth in Korea's convenience store market slows.

In Cambodia, Emart24 has moved ahead and established a foothold in the market. In 2024, it became the first Korean convenience store operator to enter Cambodia and has been expanding its store network, primarily in the capital, Phnom Penh. As of October 2026, it had 42 stores and plans to increase that number to more than 70 by year-end.

Local sales are also rising. This year, average daily sales at Emart24's Cambodian stores increased 41% from 2024, its first year in the market, while the number of customer visits rose 17%. Analysts say its K-food strategy, featuring Korean foods and ready-to-eat items such as tteokbokki, cup rice and fish cakes, is resonating with local consumers.

An industry official said, "Cambodia has a high proportion of young people and is undergoing urbanization, giving its modern convenience store market significant growth potential. Interest in Korean food and culture is also high, so the country could become a new battleground for Korean convenience store operators."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.