Vietnam’s Son Kim Group has confirmed its plan to bring convenience store chain GS25 into Vietnam.

GS25 Vietnam will be a joint venture between Son Kim’s subsidiary Son Kim Retail and Korea’s GS Retail, confirmed Nguyen Hong Trang, a member of the Son Kim board.

Trang said the first store is scheduled to open in Ho Chi Minh City before the end of this year.

“We believe our convenience chain will change the consumer behavior of the Vietnamese market,” she said.

According to an earlier report, Vietnam is the first foreign market for GS25, and its owner GS Retail holds a 30 per cent stake of the JV.

The firm was also reported to have signed a master franchise agreement with the JV.

Operating mainly in fashion, communication and real estate, Son Kim Group has expanded into retail in recent years.