The nation’s two largest convenience store operators posted record-high consolidated sales for last month on the back of strong seasonal demand for food and beverages.
President Chain Store Corp (PCSC, 統一超商), which runs 7-Eleven, which is the largest chain of convenience stores in the nation, posted NT$18.65 billion (US$620.41 million) in consolidated revenue for last month, up 5.26 percent for the same period last year. The figure was a record high for the company, the company’s financial statement released on Friday said.
Consolidated sales were NT$120.09 billion in the first seven months of the year, representing a rise of 3.85 percent from the same period last year, according to a company statement.
President Chain attributed the strong sales performance to an increase in demand for fresh and frozen food.
The company’s increase in the number of its 7-Eleven outlets in the Philippines and its Starbucks stores in China continued to give a boost to PCSC’s consolidated sales, the statement said.
President Chain on Friday opened its 17th 7-Eleven in Kinmen County. The new store is set to be part of a major shopping mall on the island which is located less than 2km from China.
The Kinmen store is located in the Wind Lion Plaza, a new mall operated by Taiwan Land Development Corp (台灣土地開發).
A Pxmart (全聯福利中心) that has operated there once had the highest revenue of any Pxmart outlet in all of Taiwan, and big-box retailer Costco is also planning to move into the development.
Aside from President Chain, another convenience chain operator — Hi-Life International Co (萊爾富) — entered Kinmen this year and established branches in Jincheng (金城) and Jinhu townships (金湖), and it is planning to open a third branch in Jinsha Township (金沙).
The company’s continued expansion in Kinmen came even though it was unable to open its first outlet on Orchid Island (Lanyu, 蘭嶼).
OPPOSITION
President Chain has faced opposition to opening a convenience store on Lanyu, home to the Tao community, because of fears it would disturb the traditional agricultural culture.
The company said it would continue communicating with residents over the store’s future.
Taiwan FamilyMart Co (全家便利商店), the nation’s second-largest convenience store operator, also saw its consolidated sales reach a record high last month.
Consolidated sales totaled NT$5.18 billion last month, up 7.78 percent from a year ago, bringing the company’s revenue in the first seven months to NT$32.49 billion, representing a 5.43 percent growth from the same period of last year, Taiwan FamilyMart said in a statement on Friday.
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