South Korean retail company BGF Retail has recently launched the first CU convenience store in Almaty, Kazakhstan, the Kazakh Embassy in Seoul said Wednesday.

The new CU opened on March 6 in the busy Tole Bi Street in downtown Almaty.

The embassy said the store was expected to breathe fresh air into Almaty’s retail landscape.

“The CU chain store is to enhance the shopping experience for Almaty’s populace. … The store boasts appealing exteriors, unique interiors, swift service, and competitive pricing,” it said.

The CU store opening comes after BGF Retail signed a franchise contract with CU Central Asia, a new entity set up by Shin-Line, a Kazakh company, in June last year.

Upon the signing, Hong Jung-kuk, vice chairman of BGF Retail, said the company aims to launch about 50 CU stores in Kazakhstan by the end of this year, with plans for more than 500 stores for the next five years.