Hollys Coffee opens first overseas store in Japan

[HOLLYS]

Hollys, a Korean coffee chain, will open its first overseas store in Japan in the first half this year.

The new outlet will be located at the Marui Department Store in Namba, Osaka, the company said Monday.

Hollys said it selected Osaka as its inaugural international location due to the rising popularity of Korean-style cafes and desserts among Japan's younger demographic, alongside Japan's strong appreciation for Korean culture.

Rather than relying on master franchise agreements, the company “opted for a direct entry into Japan to showcase Korean cafe culture and coffee flavors in the largest coffee-consuming market in Asia,” said Hollys CEO Lee Jong-hyun. “Starting with the Marui outlet in Osaka Namba, we plan to open more stores in other major Japanese cities and eventually expand into other countries as well.”

Hollys, the coffee division of KG Group, began its operations in Korea in 1998 and currently has 550 outlets across the nation.

KG Group's businesses range from chemicals, steelmaking and car manufacturing to logistics services. It has KG Mobility, formerly SsangYong Motor, under its wing.

BY SEO JI-EUN, YONHAP [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]