Suning has branched out beyond home appliances with the opening of its first hypermarket format store.

The Chinese home appliances retailer has opened its first Expo super store in Beijing, transforming itself into a general merchandiser. The 12,000 sqm super store offers goods including books, daily necessities and auto accessories, with appliances still making up the largest proportion of the stock.

With the acquisition of maternal and infant goods e-commerce website Redbaby, Suning is expected to widen more its product line.

Suning’s net profit for the first half of the year declined 34 per cent due to economic downturn. Its expansion of product offerings are aimed at offsetting slow growth in its core business.

Besides the super store in Beijing, Suning will add three of such stores in Shanghai, Nanjing and Guangzhou to a total of 20 before the years end.

GB