Retail in Asia

In Trends

FamilyMart stores may offer day care, karaoke after merger with Uny

Convenience store operator FamilyMart Co. aims to catch up with industry leader Seven-Eleven Japan Co. by developing unique products and services such as day care nurseries and karaoke parlors, Chairman Junji Ueda said in a recent interview.

“We’ll concentrate on creating unique products and services that Seven-Eleven can’t offer,” said Ueda, who is set to become president of FamilyMart Uny Holdings Co., the holding company that will emerge in September through the merger of FamilyMart and Uny Group Holdings Co.

Uny owns the fourth-largest convenience store operator, Circle K Sunkus Co. Circle K stores will be rebranded as FamilyMart, the current number three player. This will lead to a total of about 18,000 FamilyMart outlets, a figure that is on a par with the Seven & I Holdings Co. unit.