CU's 600th store in Khotol Undur Soum, Mongolia (BGF Retail) CU said Thursday it has surpassed 600 stores in Mongolia, reaching the milestone eight years after entering the market.Its 600th store, Khotol Undur Soum, is located along the highway to Lake Khuvsgul, one of Mongolia's most popular tourist destinations. Targeting travelers and long-haul truck drivers, the roadside outlet offers shower facilities alongside the usual convenience store products.The company expanded from 21 stores in its first year to 103 in 2020 and 541 in 2025, surpassing 600 outlets in June while extending its footprint beyond the capital, Ulaanbaatar, into 16 regions across the country.CU said the new store adopts a Green Station concept, becoming the first convenience store in Mongolia to feature both solar power facilities and electric vehicle charging stations.The chain entered Mongolia in 2018 through a master franchise agreement with Premium Nexus Group. Since then, it has supported its local partner by dispatching Korean specialists in merchandising, quality control and store operations while providing consulting services to help build the business. Jin Young-ho (right), head of merchandise and overseas business at BGF Retail, and Gankhuyag Adilbish, CEO of Premium Nexus pose for a photo at the opening ceremony of CU's 600th store in Khotol Undur Soum, Mongolia. (BGF Retail) Premium Nexus has established a food production center capable of producing up to 80,000 ready-to-eat meals and expanded its ambient distribution network with two additional warehouses last year. It has also adopted Korea's digital picking system and BGF Retail's proprietary global IT platform to improve logistics efficiency and store operations.CU said its product strategy combines popular Korean convenience store offerings with local tastes. The chain has introduced its private-label Get Coffee brand, cream bread, instant noodles and smoothies while developing ready-to-eat versions of Mongolian favorites such as buuz and khuushuur.The retailer has also opened more than 50 K-beauty zones and exports facial masks developed exclusively for the Mongolian market."CU has grown beyond a place that simply sells products to become a lifestyle platform that has transformed the daily lives and culture of Mongolian consumers together with our partner, Premium Nexus," said Jin Young-ho, head of merchandise and overseas business at BGF Retail."We will continue to lead Mongolia's retail market by driving food innovation, expanding eco-friendly infrastructure and creating shared value with local communities."