An agreement signing ceremony between Lawson, the world's second-largest retail chain, the Lixia district government, and Yikuai Yiman Mart, a local convenience brand, was held in Jinan on Feb 22.
According to the agreement, the initial Lawson stores established in Jinan will be further developed in partnership with Yikuai Yiman and are scheduled to open to the public in March.
The new stores will maintain the simple and practical design of Lawson stores while incorporating Jinan-related elements, aiming to become an industrial benchmark in Jinan's new retail sector.
Founded in the United States in 1939, Lawson entered the Chinese market as the first foreign-owned chain convenience store in 1996, opening its first store in Shanghai, and has been deeply involved in the Chinese market ever since. There are more than 6,000 Lawson convenience stores in China.