Asian Delights You Just Can’t Miss

One thing that’s become clear in the six months we’ve been writing this blog is that Asian C-stores really have it going on. Whenever we’re researching C-store innovation, interesting design, or just plain weirdness, the Asian industry always rises to the top of our search results.

For one thing, they seem to pioneer some insanely awesome foods, whether its Mountain Dew-flavored Cheetos, or hot carbonated drinks. They also seem to be more forgiving when it comes to accommodating animals, as can be seen here.

And that’s just Japan! In South Korea, the “convenience mart” can function as a hot spot for nightlife. In Thailand, the industry finds its inner vegan during the Phuket Vegetarian Festival, and I guess you’d expect no less from a country that some consider Southeast Asia’s “Capital of Convenience Stores”. The Taiwanese might disagree with you, however, being that Taiwan’s convenience stores have everything you need.

The robust activity in the C-store sector is indicative of how Asia’s dynamic economic climate drives retail expansion, and of course China is right in the thick of it. Shanghai’s C-store competition is heating up, while youth spend their idle time playing X-Box in their local C-store in Hong Kong, another city with a wide diversity of C-stores.

Of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention our corporate partner Circle K’s expansion into Malaysia, an exciting development that really brings home the global nature of the industry.

Actually, the industry’s worldwide reach makes reporting on it fun. It’s the perfect blend of the new and familiar, with each culture putting its own unique spin on a proven concept to which we all can relate. This will no doubt give us a wealth of material for future blogs. We hope you come along for the ride.