Best Mart 360, the Hong Kong-listed ‘leisure-food retailer’ opened its first store in Macau yesterday.

The company – which has suffered vandalism to some 75 of its Hong Kong stores during recent protest activity – believes there is potential for as many as 15 stores in Macau.

In an interview with the South China Morning Post, chairman and co-founder Lin Tsz-fung said the expansion into the new territory was planned many years ago.

“We hope to diversify our markets to Macau and Mainland China. We think Macau has a lot of tourists,” he said.

A significant expansion in Best Mart 360’s store network helped boost sales in the first half of this year, despite the company being heavily impacted by protests since June. 

As at the end of September, Best Mart 360 operated 98 stores, a net 21 more than the same time a year earlier. Most of the new outlets are on the mainland.