CU_(store)
CU (store)
South Korean convenience store chain
CU (Korean: 씨유; RR: Shiyu) (KRX: 027410) is a South Korean convenience store chain owned and operated by BGF Retail. It was formed after FamilyMart's franchise license in South Korea expired.[2]
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016) |
.svg) Logo used since November 2017 | |
 A typical CU store in Busan, Korea | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Convenience stores |
| Founded | 1990[lower-alpha 1] 2012 |
| Headquarters | |
Number of locations | 14923[1] (as of November 2021) |
Area served | South Korea Mongolia Malaysia Kazakhstan |
| Owner | BGF Retail |
| Parent | BGF Group FamilyMart (former) |
| Website | BGF-CU.com |
In 1990, the Bogwang Group formed a license contract with FamilyMart to launch convenience stores under the FamilyMart brand in South Korea.[3] The first FamilyMart in South Korea opened in October 1990.[4] On December 1, 1994, the Bogwang Group established a separate corporation; Bogwang FamilyMart (now the BGF Group) to oversee its convenience store operations division.[5] The chain enjoyed steady growth, reaching 2,000 stores in 2003 and 5,000 stores by 2010.[6]
Bogwang FamilyMart officially changed its name to BGF Retail on June 8, 2012 and subsequently announced the launching of its new convenience store brand "CU".[3] South Korea's FamilyMart was officially renamed to CU on August 1, 2012 along with the opening of the first store utilizing the new name.[7] The change came as BGF Retail aimed to create a "Korean-style" convenience store and cease its payment of royalties to FamilyMart.[8]
In April 2019, CU has started a delivery service, and magnified the service to 1000 stores in May.[9]
Iran
CU launched its first foreign store in November 2018, in Tehran, Iran. However, the store had not even operated for a month when it had to close because of the United States' sanctions against Iran.
Kazakhstan
The first store opened in March 2024 in Almaty. In general, the project provides for the opening of about one hundred CU shops in Kazakhstan at the first stage. By 2029, BGF Retail plans to open 500 outlets in Kazakhstan and is also considering entering neighbouring markets.[10]
Mongolia
CU has opened 304 stores in Ulaanbaatar, 1 store in Darkhan-Uul, Mongolia as of Dec, 2022. Also, they planned to expand the number of branches from 200 to 240 by the end of the 2022. CU competes with another Korean convenience chain, GS25, which has 124 stores throughout the capital region.
Malaysia
CU opened its first stores within Malaysia in 2021, after reaching a partnership with local convenience store company myNews Holdings Bhd. CU plans to open 500 stores within Malaysia by 2026; the group will initially open 30 to 50 CU stores and assess their sales performance before expanding further. In April 2021, CU opened its first store in Centerpoint Bandar Utama.[11][12]
- Logo used until August 1, 2012
- Logo used from August 1, 2012 to November 2017
- as the South Korean branch of FamilyMart
- "엇갈리는 편의점 '빅2' 실적...점포수 앞선 CU, 실적도 GS25 추월하나". 11 November 2021.
- 머니투데이 (2012-06-18). "[사진]훼미리마트, '씨유(CU)'로 브랜드명 변경". 머니투데이 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- "22년 훼미리마트 간판, 'CU'로 바뀐다". n.news.naver.com (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- "국내 편의점 5만5천개 넘어서". 이코노텔링(econotelling) (in Korean). 2024-01-15. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- "스카이데일리, [기업경영 기상도 ①BGF] 2세 경영 돌입… 장남 유통·차남 신소재 이끈다". www.skyedaily.com. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- "훼미리마트 점포수 5000개 돌파". 한국경제 (in Korean). 2010-08-16. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- "훼미리마트, 한국형 편의점 'CU'로 재탄생". 아시아경제 (in Korean). 2012-08-01. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- 머니투데이 (2012-09-20). "'훼미리마트'대신 점령한 CU…이유는". 머니투데이 (in Korean). Retrieved 2024-03-12.
- 강, 인선 (14 May 2019). "CU, 전국 1000여개 점포에서 배달 시작 - 매일경제". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). Retrieved 2019-05-17.
- "CU opens first store in Kazakhstan". Korea JoongAang Daily. March 7, 2024.
- "MyNews to operate South Korea's CU stores in Malaysia". The Edge Markets. October 12, 2020.
- Lee, Faye (April 1, 2021). "myNEWS Launches The First CU Convenience Store And Expects To Break Even Within 3 Years".
- (in Korean) BGF Retails and CU Archived 2014-08-01 at the Wayback Machine
- (in Korean) CU opens 9000th store in South Korea
- (in Mongolian) CU Mongolia official page
- CU opens first overseas store in Iran
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