Emart Tech (이마트)

What Emart Tech (이마트) does

E-MART Inc. (주식회사 이마트) is Korea's largest discount retailer and the founding hypermarket chain in the country, established in 1993 and publicly traded on the Korea Exchange (ticker 139880) within the Shinsegae Group conglomerate. The company operates a multi-format retail platform comprising 160+ Emart hypermarkets, Emart Traders warehouse-club outlets, Emart Everyday neighborhood supermarkets, and specialty concepts including No Brand (hard discount), Electro Mart (electronics), Molly's (pet supplies), Toy Kingdom, PK Market, Starfield lifestyle malls, and convenience stores under Emart24. Supporting the retail network is proprietary fresh-food infrastructure — the Yeoju Logistics Center, Gwangju Meat Center (2011), and Icheon Fresh Center (2012) — that is the largest of its kind among Korean retailers.

The business is primarily a physical-store retailer with growing digital layers, including SSG.COM (group-wide online marketplace), the Emart Mall and Traders Mall storefronts, and the Emart mobile app with self-checkout, Scan & Go mobile checkout, and the 'eligo' autonomous delivery pilot. Revenue is generated mainly through transactional retail sales across formats, with additional streams from specialty stores, online commerce, shopping-complex leasing, and food processing/distribution. Pricing follows a value/EDLP model with private-label (No Brand) as a cost lever, supported by the cross-group Shinsegae Point loyalty ecosystem.

Internationally, Emart operates stores in China (since 1997), Vietnam (since 2015), Mongolia (since 2016, five stores by December 2024), and holds subsidiaries in the USA (New Seasons Market), Hong Kong, Europe (Emart Europe GmbH), and the Philippines/Laos for export support. FY2025 consolidated net sales reached 289,704 billion KRW (~$21.5B) with operating profit of 3,225 billion KRW, marking a sharp recovery from FY2024's depressed margins. Ownership is anchored by Chairman Yongjin Chung at 28.85%, with the National Pension Service at 8.66% and foreign investors at 24.18%.

Name

Emart Tech (이마트)

Legal name

주식회사 이마트

Website

https://company.emart.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Emart (이마트) is Korea's #1 discount hypermarket operator, running 160+ stores across multiple formats (hypermarkets, warehouse, supermarkets, specialty) and serving mass-market consumers with food, household, and general merchandise since 1993.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Discount Retail / Hypermarket Retail

NAICS

Supermarkets and Other Grocery Retailers (except Convenience Retailers) (44511), Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers (4552), General Merchandise Retailers (455)

SIC

Retail-Grocery Stores (5411), Retail-Variety Stores (5331), Retail-Department Stores (5311)

akta.pro primary industry

Grocery & Food Omnichannel (CRAFAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Discount Warehouse Grocers (Limited-Assortment Warehouse Format) (CRAHACAI), Convenience Retail with Parcel & Pickup Services (PUDO/Lockers) (CRAHABAL)

Keywords

• Discount retail
• Hypermarket operations
• Warehouse grocery
• Private label products
• Online grocery retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Sales (Discount Stores): Core revenue from merchandise sales through hypermarket format - Korea's #1 discount retailer with extensive product range including food, household goods, electronics, and apparel
2. Warehouse/Traders Format: EDLP (Everyday Low Price) warehouse-type stores targeting small business owners and bulk shoppers
3. Private Label (No Brand, PB Products): Emart's hard discount store brand 'No Brand' and private label products across categories including food, household, and personal care
4. Specialty Stores: Revenue from specialty retail concepts including ElectroMart (electronics), Molly's Pet Shop (pet supplies), Toy Kingdom, PK Market, and Starfield shopping complexes
5. Online/E-commerce: Emart Mall and Traders Mall online shopping platforms offering convenient shopping delivery from physical store locations
6. Real Estate Leasing: Revenue from shopping complex operations including Starfield malls and property leasing
7. Food Processing & Distribution: Fresh food operations through dedicated facilities including Meat Center (livestock processing), Fresh Center (agricultural products), and logistics centers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Emart operates Korea's largest discount retail network spanning hypermarkets, warehouse-type Traders stores, Emart Everyday supermarkets, and a portfolio of specialty concepts (No Brand hard-discount, ElectroMart, Molly's, Toy Kingdom, PK Market, Starfield). It sells groceries, household goods, fresh food, electronics, apparel, and private-label products through 160+ Korean stores and international locations, supplemented by online platforms (SSG.COM, Emart Mall) and mobile commerce. Supporting operations include dedicated Meat Center, Fresh Center, and Yeoju Logistics Center for fresh food processing and nationwide distribution.

Product overview

Emart operates a multi-format retail platform comprising discount stores (Emart), warehouse-type stores (Emart Traders), supermarkets (Emart Everyday), and specialty concepts including No Brand hard-discount stores, Electro Mart electronics stores, Molly's pet shops, Toy Kingdom, Baby Circle, and Starfield shopping malls. The portfolio also includes Emart Food Market and SSG.COM online mall. Supporting infrastructure includes logistics centers, meat centers, and fresh centers. Digital services include the Emart app, self-checkout kiosks, scan & go technology, and autonomous delivery service 'eligo'. The company serves customers through physical stores, online platforms, and mobile applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• E-MART: Main hypermarket/discount store brand - Korea's No. 1 discount retailer
• emart tomorrow
• No Brand
• Electro Mart
• Molly's
• Toy Kingdom
• Starfield
• Peacock Kitchen
• The Life
• PK Market
• SSG Food Market
• Baby Circle
• Curate (ESG)
• Humanize (ESG)
• Innovate (ESG)
• Forest Tomorrow
• GPFLO
• E-MART Inc.

Products and services

• Emart Hypermarket (이마트) Korea's number one discount hypermarket chain offering a wide range of consumer goods, groceries, and household products at competitive prices.
• Emart Traders (이마트 트레이더스) Warehouse-type discount store format offering EDLP (Everyday Low Price) merchandise primarily for small business owners and bulk shoppers.
• Emart Everyday (이마트 에브리데이) Neighborhood supermarket chain positioned as the number one local supermarket, providing daily necessities and groceries in residential areas.
• No Brand (노브랜드) Hard discount store format offering private label products with minimal packaging at significantly reduced prices.
• ElectroMart (일렉트로마트) Experiential electronics and appliances specialty store allowing customers to test and interact with products before purchase.
• Molly's Pet Shop (몰리스) Pet supplies total specialty store offering comprehensive range of products for various pets.
• PK Market (PK 마켓) Premium food market combining groceries and dining experiences.
• Toy Kingdom (토이킹덤) Experiential toy store offering hands-on play experiences for children.
• Baby Circle (베이비써클) Infant and toddler products specialty store with expert staff.
• Starfield (스타필드) Future-oriented shopping mall combining shopping, relaxation, and culture in a lifestyle destination format.
• Emart Food Market (이마트 푸드마켓) Food specialty store pursuing 'grocery always low price' strategy with fresh produce focus.
• SSG.COM Online Shopping Mall Online shopping mall offering convenient and fast shopping experience integrated with Emart store locations nationwide.
• e-mile Quick Delivery Service (이마일) Quick online delivery service for fast fulfillment from Emart Everyday store locations.
• Emart App (이마트 앱) Mobile application offering digital receipts, mobile payments, store navigation, and promotional services for Emart shoppers.
• Emart e-Card (이마트 e카드) Digital payment and loyalty card service linked to Shinsegae Point ecosystem.
• Emart Mobile Service (MVNO) Mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) telecommunications service offered under the Emart brand.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1 billion cumulative customers reached (June 2005)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered significant, core and minor.

• Starbucks KoreasignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2021Emart acquired additional stake in Starbucks Korea in July 2021, strengthening its food and beverage service offerings and leveraging the Starbucks brand within its retail ecosystem.
• eBay KoreasignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2021Emart signed a share transfer contract with eBay Korea in June 2021, establishing strategic business collaboration through share exchange.
• Walmart KoreasignificantStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2006Emart acquired all 16 locations of Walmart Korea in May 2006, becoming Korea's top discount retailer and surprising the global retail industry with this acquisition.
• WWF (World Wildlife Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for PSI (Product Sustainability Initiative) research - Phase 1 focusing on sustainable sourcing and packaging roadmap with Seoul National University researchers.
• IBK企业銀行 (IBK Industrial Bank of Korea)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWin-Win Growth Fund partnership providing preferential loan rates for partner companies through IBK Win-Win Growth Agreement Loans.
• KB国民銀行 (KB Kookmin Bank)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWin-Win Growth Fund partnership providing preferential loan rates for partner companies.
• 우리銀行 (Woori Bank)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWin-Win Growth Fund partnership - 'Sangsaeng Plus Loan' product for partner companies with 80% financing for direct purchases.
• KEB 하나銀行 (KEB Hana Bank)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWin-Win Growth Fund partnership providing preferential financing for partner companies.
• 新韓銀行 (Shinhan Bank)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWin-Win Growth Fund partnership - 'Damoa Loan' product for partner companies.
• Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for eco-friendly certification support - assisting partner companies in obtaining environmental certifications (environmental marks, low-carbon, environmental performance labels) with consulting and certification costs supported.
• BMW KoreaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for electric vehicle charging station expansion - BMW and Tesla cooperation for EV charging infrastructure in Emart parking lots.
• TeslaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for electric vehicle charging station expansion - BMW and Tesla cooperation for EV charging infrastructure.
• Korea Ministry of EnvironmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple environmental partnerships including Green Card system (eco-money points), eco-friendly consumption festivals, RPS (Renewable Portfolio Standard) solar energy, plastic reduction campaigns.
• Seoul Metropolitan GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for EV charging infrastructure installation and operation with Seoul City and Ministry of Environment.
• AFoCO (Asia Forest Cooperation Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Mongolia desertification prevention - 10 billion tree planting campaign participation, Tree planting at Terelj National Park 4.4ha, 15,000 trees planned by 2028.
• Shinsegae GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company and group synergies - shared loyalty program (Shinsegae Point), joint e-commerce (SSG.COM), brand partnerships across department stores, food, hotels, and sports.
• NaverminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnership through share swap deal with Naver - strengthening online business cooperation.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Walmart: Walmart is the global discount retail incumbent whose Korean operations Emart acquired in 2006. Walmart represents the global template for hypermarket scale that Emart's domestic leadership mirrors.
• Carrefour: Carrefour is a global hypermarket incumbent operating in multiple geographies. Comparable to Emart's hypermarket + Traders warehouse multi-format approach, particularly in international expansion contexts.
• Tesco: Tesco operates hypermarkets, supermarkets, and online grocery in multiple markets, providing a comparable multi-format retail template to Emart's ecosystem. Tesco's Clubcard loyalty is structurally analogous to Shinsegae Point.
• Lidl: Lidl (Schwarz Group) is Europe's leading hard-discount grocery retailer. Its discount-grocery model parallels Emart's No Brand + Traders strategy, though it does not directly compete in Korea.

Direct peers

• Coupang: Coupang is Korea's largest e-commerce platform with Rocket Delivery, increasingly competing with Emart's online grocery business and physical stores via fast delivery. Emart's SSG.COM and Coupang compete in the same Korean consumer wallet share.
• Aldi: Aldi is the global benchmark for hard-discount retail, directly comparable to Emart's No Brand hard-discount format. Both compete on minimal packaging, private label, and aggressive everyday low pricing.
• Costco Wholesale: Costco operates warehouse-format bulk retail with EDLP pricing, directly comparable to Emart's Traders warehouse stores. Both target small business owners and bulk family buyers with membership/loyalty models.
• Homeplus: Homeplus is one of Korea's leading hypermarket and supermarket chains, directly competing with Emart's discount store and Emart Everyday formats. Both target value-conscious Korean families with similar multi-format retail strategies.
• Lotte Mart: Lotte Mart is Emart's primary direct competitor in Korean discount/hypermarket retail, operating hypermarkets, supermarkets, and e-commerce. Both companies compete head-to-head for the same mass-market Korean consumers across identical product categories.

Emerging players

• Naver (Smartstore): Naver's Smartstore and Shopping platforms are emerging competitive forces in Korean online retail. Emart's share-swap partnership with Naver signals strategic recognition of this competitive overlap and ecosystem positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCojm0qrKPoxt6lc6J4iDCrQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/emartcompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/emartstore
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/emarttech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries23 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Emart Tech (이마트)