Hong Kong high-end supermarket operator City’super eyes more outlets on mainland
The company is focused on expanding in the affluent Yangtze River Delta, outside Shanghai. It now operates five stores in China’s biggest commercial city
Hong Kong retail chain City’super, an operator of high-end supermarkets, plans to expand into China’s prosperous Yangtze River Delta outside Shanghai, banking on mainlanders’ increasing affluence and growing penchant for premium food products.
President Thomas Woo said mainland Chinese shoppers appeared to be more free-spending on some products such as imported liquor than their Hong Kong counterparts, which boosted the retailer’s confidence to open more stores.
“We felt that the potential on the mainland has yet to be tapped by City’super,” he told the South China Morning Post. “We don’t aim to expand across the mainland, but we are setting eyes on the affluent region of East China.”
The retailer has so far only opened shop in Shanghai, with five outlets including the most recent one in the Shanghai Raffles City Changning mall, a number that surpassed its four shops in Hong Kong.
“We felt that there is no wealth gap between mainland and Hong Kong shoppers,” said Woo. “Chinese consumers’ attitude about life has become more exquisite as they pay more attention to food origins to ensure healthy eating.”
The company targets the top 5 to 10 per cent of mainland income earners.