Operator of Okashi Land stores to open unmanned outlet in China with start-up partner EasyGo

Hong Kong-listed Four Seas Group, the operator of the popular Okashi Land confectionery stores in the city, is hitching on the emerging unmanned stores bandwagon in China to expand its reach, according to its partner.

EasyGo, a Guangzhou-based start-up that operates unmanned convenience stores on the mainland, is in the process of finalising a location for a flagship Okashi Land store in “one of the most popular commercial areas” in the southern Chinese city later this year to run the Four Seas store, with a dedicated unmanned section, said Fele Wang, co-founder of EasyGo.

“As a start-up based in southern China, we want to leverage our advantages of being close to Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and seek cooperation with brands from these regions,” she said, stressing that the company might expand the branded store model once it takes off.

EasyGo also sells Four Seas products through its unmanned convenience stores in the Pearl River Delta in the southern mainland. It operates about 100 outlets in 10 cities in China, but Four Seas products are mainly available at its stores in southern China, where it has a footprint in seven cities.

To enter the company’s unmanned stores, consumers have to scan a quick response (QR) code using Tencent Holdings’ popular messaging app WeChat on their mobile phones, which bundles with EasyGo through a mini program on WeChat.

Consumers then pick out the items they want, and scan a QR code again at the exit point where the system automatically detects the items and tallies up the purchases.