South Korean Convenience Chain Emart24 Lands in India — Flagship Store with 68-Seat Food Court Opens in Pune

Emart24, the major South Korean convenience store chain, has opened its first store in India, in Pune, in the western state of Maharashtra. Spanning two floors within the Solitaire Business Hub, the store carries products from the company's own private brand "No Brand" alongside a food court with 68 seats. Entering through a brand license agreement with local foodservice operator Jung Brothers Hospitality, this marks the first entry into India by a South Korean convenience store chain.

The First South Korean Convenience Store to Open in India

Emart24 is the convenience store business under South Korean retail giant E-mart, and this Pune store marks the first entry into the Indian market by a South Korean convenience store format. Solitaire Business Hub, where the store is located, is a commercial facility near Pune's IT cluster, with a sales floor spanning two floors and about 260 square meters. It has a food court that can seat up to 68 people indoors and outdoors combined, making it closer to a small food-experience space than a typical convenience store.

The main draw is the lineup of products from "No Brand," E-mart's low-price private brand. The store also stocks Korean-style bento and prepared foods, cosmetics, and lifestyle goods, aiming to convert interest in Korean culture — heightened by Korean entertainment content — into purchases. A second store is planned to open in October of the same year, with the location yet to be decided.

The Entry Approach: Brand License Plus a Local Partner

What stands out is the mode of entry. Rather than expanding its own directly-operated network, Emart24 signed a brand license agreement with local foodservice operator Jung Brothers Hospitality. The company's CEO, Peter Jung, is a Korean entrepreneur based in India, with a track record of running 28 stores in Pune, including the café chain "Café Peter." By dividing store-operation expertise and the brand between two parties, the companies keep initial investment and operational risk in check.

Behind the choice of Pune as the location is demographics. Emart24 CEO Choi Jin-il positions India as a young country with an average age of around 28, citing its large room for growth as a reason for entering. In India, roughly 75% of retail stores are said to be independent shops lacking modern conveniences, leaving room to develop a well-organized small-store format.

Store Data

Industry reaction

Sources on the Korean side cite the spread of demand for Korean food and cosmetics, driven by the penetration of Korean entertainment content, as a tailwind for the store opening. Emart24's management rated Pune highly on the government's "Ease of Living Index" and also included the concentration of Korean manufacturers in the area among the reasons for the selection. Local real estate firm Solitaire Group, acting as the commercial developer, provided the store site, forming a three-party partnership centered on the license.

On the food-trend front, purchasing behavior in food retail is shifting, such as a surge in demand for cold drinks and mangoes via quick commerce during India's summer. This trend also quick-commerce demand during the intense heat overlaps with, reinforcing the presence of small, food-driven stores.

Implications for Japanese companies

For Japanese marketers considering entering India, the Emart24 case is a good example of dividing labor as "product brand plus local operating partner." Convenience stores and food retail carry high difficulty in site selection, inventory, and staffing operations, making it risky to go it alone. Granting a brand license to a partner already running multiple stores locally allows a company to put up its sign while borrowing operational know-how.

Another implication is the "stay-and-linger" design of pairing the store with a food court. By building in a food experience alongside retail, the store converts interest in Korean culture into a reason to visit. Japanese food and Japanese brands could likewise benefit from presenting products together with a food experience, rather than simply displaying goods, as an effective way to attract younger customers.

Ripple Effects on the Industry

The entry of a South Korean convenience chain into India could serve as a starting gun for the underdeveloped space of well-organized small-store formats. While large discount stores and specialty chains are accelerating their store openings in Indian retail, modern small-format convenience stores remain thin on the ground. The fact that Emart24 is validating demand with a single store while signaling a plan to move toward a master franchise model is also a useful reference for how later brands might read the steps for entry.

For Japanese convenience store and food retail companies too, the Korean players moving first is both the emergence of a competitor and a sign that the market is taking shape. This wave of foreign brands making their first landings one after another Brands making their first entry into India in 2026 is also reflected in trends, making this a moment where Japanese brands' lag in the food and retail space is easy to notice.

Conclusion

Emart24's Pune opening is not just the first entry of a South Korean convenience chain into India — it's a case that demonstrates three design principles at once: a brand license, local-partner operation, and a paired food experience. The company is trying to capture India's young population and the tailwind of Korean culture through the in-store experience, not just the products. For Japanese companies looking to take on India's food and retail sector, borrowing local operating strength rather than trying to hold everything in-house is a strong option.

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References

• Emart24 enters convenience store market in India (The Korea Times)
• Emart24 to open first South Korean convenience store in India (Inside Retail Asia)