Premium Nexus - CU takes home win at Retail Asia Awards 2025

It continues to redefine modern retail in Mongolia with an ultimate focus on customer experience and commitment to long-term socio-economic impact.

Mongolian retailer Premium Nexus was hailed as the Convenience Store of the Year - Mongolia in the coveted Retail Asia Awards 2025 for the successful introduction of its first convenience store chain, CU Mongolia, which has since built a transformative ecosystem through strategic investments in supply chain infrastructure, fresh food production, and technology.

Premium Nexus acquired the master franchise rights for CU Convenience Stores from South Korea’s BGF Retail in 2018, marking the beginning of its franchised operations in Mongolia. Since its establishment, CU Mongolia has expanded to 480 stores, becoming the country’s largest retailer by both store count and number of employees.

The company has achieved remarkable growth, with a three-year compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 75% in revenue between 2021 and 2024. This expansion has created over 3,500 jobs, more than 70% of which are filled by female workers. CU Mongolia has also made quality products and services accessible to both urban centres and rural areas.

Today, CU Convenience Store is more than just a retailer—it has become an integral part of every Mongolian’s daily life. It attracts 200,000 customers daily, representing 5.7% of the country’s 3.5 million population, making it one of the most frequently visited locations amongst Mongolian consumers.

In bringing the convenience store model to Mongolia, Premium Nexus has been required to overcome several structural and social challenges.

When no 24/7 stores were available, CU has reshaped consumer behaviour by setting global service standards in Mongolia, offering a consistent, high-quality retail experience and fresh, healthy food options 24/7 every day. It has also developed Mongolia’s largest publicly accessible restroom network, with over 400 facilities.

CU Mongolia has also become a major provider of flexible, formal jobs for students and young people—92% of part-timers are youth employees—helping cultivate the next generation of the workforce.

Meanwhile, Premium Nexus has actively advocated for enhanced food safety standards to address critical public health challenges and adopt global best practices. The Company has invested in an international standard HACCP accredited food production centre, which supplies more than 60,000 pieces of ready-to-eat meals daily. It has also built Mongolia’s largest centralised distribution system, improving inventory control, vendor collaboration, and cold-chain logistics.

The company’s technological investments have also been pivotal in enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency. Amongst these innovations is its integrated mobile loyalty and payment system app, which is currently used by 45% of all CU consumers. It also includes the 3-in-1 CU Pay, which integrates point collection, payment, and e-receipts in one action and reduces checkout times. At the same time, it has launched a virtual credit card service and improved financial accessibility for consumers.

“Premium Nexus has set a new benchmark in Mongolia’s retail sector through its bold initiatives in convenience, technology, and sustainability. With a customer-first approach, robust supply chain management, and strong employee development programmes, it has built a transformative retail ecosystem that continues to lead market innovation and social impact,” the company said.

Encouraged by the substantial market developments and positive social impacts CU is generating in Mongolia, Premium Nexus is now setting a stronger footprint in the retail, logistics and food and beverage industries, by expanding its coverage nationwide and opening more than 70 stores in the rural areas of the vast country. Through this expansion, the Company expects to create significant benefits not only to consumers, but also to local producers, manufacturers, as well as trading companies by enabling consistent and efficient distribution of fresh products and consumer goods via its market-leading cold-chain logistics capabilities. Additionally, this development could support Mongolia's economic diversification by leveraging CU Mongolia's integrated retail infrastructure, digital and logistics capabilities, and its integration with the broader South Korean CU chain network of over 18,000 stores across Asia.

The Retail Asia Awards recognises outstanding achievements, innovations, and excellence within the retail industry across the Asia-Pacific region.

The Retail Asia Awards is presented by Retail Asia Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional products or initiatives in the Retail industry, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].