First Korean Convenience Store Opens in a World-Famous Tourist Destination
Rising Local Dining Costs... Value-Driven Convenience Store Expected to Compete
CU’s Unique Products and Local Brand Collaborations
Goal to Open 50 Stores in Hawaii Within
Convenience store chain CU, operated by BGF Retail, announced on the 13th that it has opened its first U.S. store, the "CU Downtown branch," in Hawaii.
Previously, in May, BGF Retail established its Hawaii subsidiary and revealed plans to enter the U.S. convenience store market through a master franchise contract (MFC) with "CU Hawaii LLC," a new convenience store-focused subsidiary of local company WKF Inc. (WKF).
Hong Jungguk, Vice Chairman of BGF Retail (second from the left), and Robert Kurisu, CEO of CU Hawaii, are posing for a commemorative photo at the opening ceremony of CU Hawaii's first store, the Downtown branch. Provided by BGF Retail
The MFC is a contract in which the franchisor, BGF Retail, grants its local partner the rights to use the brand, open stores, and operate the business, while collecting royalties.
Hawaii is a leading U.S. resort destination, boasting mild and sunny weather year-round and attracting 10 million tourists annually. The average daily spending per tourist is about 320,000 KRW (approximately $235). The company expects that, due to the high cost of dining out, there will be strong demand for reasonably priced convenience store products among both tourists and locals.
The CU Downtown branch is a large-scale convenience store covering approximately 231.4 square meters (about 70 pyeong), located in the central business district of Honolulu. It is easily accessible to office workers nearby, hotel guests, tourists, and local residents alike.
This store features Hawaiian art patterns designed by Sig Zane, a renowned local artist, throughout the premises. From the interior design to staff uniforms and product packaging, the store emphasizes a harmonious blend of CU's brand identity with the local Hawaiian sensibility.
Under the concept of "K-food meets Aloha," the store presents unique Korean convenience store products and services based on three strategies: CU differentiation, collaboration, and K-lifestyle.
CU has created a dedicated zone for its master private brand (PB), "PBICK," offering K-food items popular among foreigners, such as gim bugak (seaweed chips), as well as ramen, instant rice, tissues, and other daily essentials. Reflecting Hawaii's year-round warm climate, the store also offers iced drink PB "delaffe" pouch beverages at all times.
Additionally, CU exports and sells hit products such as the Yonsei Milk Cream Bread series, Knotted Donut series, Pima One Highball, and Fresh Fruit Highball. There is also a goods section featuring exclusive items, such as keyrings of CU's brand character "K-Roo," available only at CU Hawaii. Around 20 types of Hawaiian-patterned souvenirs, including tumblers, mugs, and eco-bags, co-developed with Sig Zane, are also on sale.
Customers, including local tourists, are lining up to enter the Downtown store, the first CU branch in Hawaii. Provided by BGF Retail
The main focus is on ready-to-eat meals. The store offers a variety of authentic Korean dishes enjoyed by Koreans, such as Jeonju Bibim, Tuna Mayo, and Dakgalbi, as well as Korean fusion recipes like Kimchi Galbi lunchboxes developed in collaboration with renowned American chef Sheldon Simeone. Local specialties, such as Spam Musubi rice balls and Loco Moco lunchboxes, are also available.
In addition, the store features around 40 types of basic and color cosmetics, including mask packs, sunblock, and tints, mainly from K-beauty brands with high recognition among overseas customers. A ramen library model allows customers to cook "Hangang Ramen" on the spot, while dishes like tteokbokki are available as meal kits for customers to prepare themselves.
Since signing the MFC, BGF Retail has spent the past five months transferring logistics operations, food manufacturing, and other distribution infrastructure know-how to WKF. The store incorporates an optimal layout reflecting diverse consumer needs, as well as retail tech features such as a self-checkout zone.
Going forward, the company plans to open additional stores in prime locations, including Hawaii's iconic tourist spots like Waikiki Beach, as well as central business districts such as Ala Moana and Kahala, and upscale residential areas. The goal is to open 50 stores within three years.
Hong Jungguk, Vice Chairman of BGF Retail, stated, "Based on BGF's unrivaled brand power and systematic franchise system built over the past 30 years, we are now able to deliver the taste, sensibility, and innovative convenience store experience of Korea in Hawaii. Through this expansion into the Americas, CU will prove the global power of the Korean convenience store industry and elevate its status as a K-trend platform that spreads Korean culture worldwide."
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