South Korean convenience store chain emart24 is coming to India.
Earlier this week, emart24, a South Korean convenience store chain, announced that it will be opening its first outlet in India this August. This marks the first time a Korean convenience store brand is entering the populous Indian market. The expansion is happening through a brand licensing deal between Jung Brothers Hospitality and India’s Solitaire Group. The signing ceremony took place at emart24’s headquarters in Seoul.
Notably, the CEO of Jung Brothers Hospitality, Peter Jung, is a first-generation Korean entrepreneur active in India.
As per the agreement, emart24’s first Indian outlet will open in Pune, Maharashtra, in August. A second store is planned for October, although the location hasn’t been finalized yet. More outlets are expected in the future.
Solitaire Group will offer business infrastructure support for the store launches, while Jung will bring his experience from running 28 franchise outlets in Pune, including the popular Café Peter chain.
emart24 also plans to offer its own brand products and Korean foods like tteokbokki, cup rice, and Korean-style fried chicken at its stores in India.
India is the third country where emart24 is expanding, after Malaysia and Cambodia. It was chosen due to its fast-growing economy and large young population—47% of Indians are 25 or younger, offering a strong consumer base.
The company also said that the popularity of K-pop and Korean culture in India is expected to support the brand’s growth.
Additionally, emart24’s CEO Choi Jin-il said, “India is a young nation with an average age of 28 and tremendous growth potential. We are proud that Emart24 is the first Korean convenience store brand to enter the Indian market. We will continue exploring the possibility of transitioning to a master franchise model and expanding into additional countries in the future.”
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