Seven-Eleven Japan may have some stiff competition now that a new merger has been completed.
Two of Japan’s convenience retailers have now merged to create the second largest c-store chain in Japan.
According to a recent report from The Japan Times, on Sept. 1, 2016, FamilyMart Co. and Uny Group Holdings Co. merged to create a convenience store chain that is second only to Seven-Eleven Japan Co. in size. The merged company has been named FamilyMart Uny, and the new company will focus on both convenience stores and supermarkets.
As a part of this merger agreement, the majority of Uny Group’s 6,250 Circle K Sunkus stores will be rebranded as FamilyMart, and the combined company will operate approximately 17,000 locations. The Japan Times noted that Seven-Eleven Japan currently operates about 18,800 stores throughout the country.
The rebranding of the Circle K Sunkus convenience stores began immediately following the completion of the merger agreement, with three stores being rebranded the same day of the merger, according to The Japan Times. This may seem fast, but the merger agreement has reportedly been in the works since October 2015.