Opening the Largest Store in Trendy, High-Attraction Sapantong
Launching the First Overseas No Brand "Deli" Corner
Emart announced on the 26th that it will open the “No Brand Sapantong Store (Store No. 4)” in the center of Vientiane, Laos. With a floor area of about 215 pyeong (approximately 710 square meters), it will be the largest No Brand store in Laos.
Sapantong is located in Vientiane’s prime commercial district, where a high proportion of residents are foreigners and upper-class households. In particular, the area is densely packed with international schools and high-end residences, giving it strong purchasing power and a clearly defined trend-conscious consumption pattern. This move is interpreted as Emart’s strategic expansion aimed at core consumer groups that show strong interest in Korean products.
The most notable feature of the Sapantong store is that, among overseas No Brand stores (in the Philippines and Laos), it is the first to introduce a deli corner (about 20 pyeong, or approximately 66 square meters). At the deli corner, Korean street foods such as Gimbap, Tteokbokki, fish cake, and Ramyeon will be freshly prepared and sold on-site, and No Brand frozen products will be cooked to order and served. This is a strategy to turn the growing local interest in K-Food into offline experiences. Emart plans to evolve No Brand specialty stores in Laos into K-Food platforms where customers can “taste and experience” the products.
No Brand specialty stores in Laos are recognized as “the largest Korean product specialty stores” and are enjoying strong popularity. In a Laotian retail environment dominated by small markets and traditional markets, the ability to purchase verified-quality Korean groceries at reasonable prices has served as a key differentiator. In fact, after Store No. 1 (opened in December 2024) successfully took root, hundreds of customers flocked to the grand openings of Store No. 2 (February 2025) and Store No. 3 (August 2025) on their first days. Since opening, all three stores have continued their strong performance, generating sales two to three times higher than planned.
The driving force behind this success is No Brand products. The best-selling items at No Brand stores in Laos are “No Brand Cheddar Cheese Balls” and “No Brand Choco Chip Cookies.” After snack sales showed strong performance at Store No. 1, the snack display area at Store No. 4 was doubled. Processed No Brand products such as seasoned laver, Ramyeon, instant rice, and HMR (home meal replacement) items are also recording high sales.
Kang Youngseok, Head of Overseas Business at Emart, said, “No Brand specialty stores in Laos are quickly gaining a foothold in the market as the spread of the K-Wave aligns with the competitiveness of No Brand products,” adding, “Emart will continue to strengthen experiential spaces and steadily expand customized products and services for local customers.”
Meanwhile, No Brand is not just a simple retail brand but also serves as an export platform for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). No Brand products are sold in about 20 countries, ranging from North America to Japan, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and other parts of Asia, as well as Europe, Paraguay, and New Zealand. As of last year, around 350 SMEs supplied products to No Brand, and SMEs accounted for about 65% of total product volume. The more popular No Brand products become overseas, the more domestic SMEs grow in terms of both sales and export channels. Going forward, Emart plans to further boost exports of No Brand products by expanding overseas stores and collaborating with global retailers.
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