Japanese retailer and mall operator Aeon has launched its first hypermarket in Myanmar.

The 2800sqm store is triple the size of its 14 existing supermarkets in Southeast Asia and its first hypermarket in the region. Opened in the capital city of Yangon, it sells household items as well as food. It also features a microfinancing service for shoppers.

The move is a response to the growing retail sector in Myanmar, which Aeon has been pursuing since its 2016 joint venture with local partner Creation Myanmar Group.

The hypermarket includes a large home-appliance sales space and a 70sqm dining area.

“There is further room to increase the number of stores in Myanmar as the country is still short of modern retail space,” said Aeon Orange’s GM of administration Masayasu Isozaki.

Aeon currently operates 74 stores in Southeast Asia, with shopping malls and supermarkets in Cambodia, Indonesia and Vietnam.