[Is it different from Japan?] Introducing the convenience stores in Mongolia
Hello!
This is a HushTug Hariuner.
It's been about a month since my last blog post, how are you all doing in Japan?
Although the COVID-19 outbreak has affected Mongolia, production at HushTug's factories is continuing as usual.
Today, I would like to write about the convenience store situation in Mongolia to help people learn more about Mongolia.
table of contents
- There are two main convenience stores in Mongolia
- What can you buy at a convenience store in Mongolia?
- Two points that make CU different from Japanese convenience stores
- Coronavirus has also affected convenience stores...
- summary
There are two main convenience stores in Mongolia
In the first place, it is only very recently that convenience stores have appeared in Mongolia.
Even in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar, convenience stores have only opened in the last few years.
In 2018, a convenience store called "Circle K" from the United States was opened, and since then, convenience stores called "CU" from Korea have opened.
Currently, there are only two types of convenience stores in Ulaanbaatar.
Circle K opened its first store in Mongolia in April 2018, and CU began operations four months later in August 2018.
Currently, there are about 70 CU stores and about 12 Circle K stores.
Both of these systems are only available in the capital, Ulaanbaatar, and do not yet exist in any other provinces.
There are about 70 CU stores, so you can easily find them while walking around Ulaanbaatar. There are many in the center of Ulaanbaatar, so you will not have any trouble shopping!
Circle K, which is well-known in Japan, has fewer stores than CU.
What can you buy at a convenience store in Mongolia?
I would like to mainly talk about "CU", the most common convenience store in Ulaanbaatar.
Just like convenience stores in Japan, CUs in Ulaanbaatar sell a variety of items, from coffee to meals and alcohol.
The product selection is similar to that of Japanese convenience stores (such as 7-Eleven).
Of course the items sold are different, but sometimes Japanese products are also sold.
For example, Kagome vegetable juice was also sold at CU!
The large 720ml bottle was on sale for 8,100₮ (about 312 yen), and the 200ml pack was on sale for 2,550₮ (about 99 yen).
There were also other Japanese products such as Weider in Jelly and ramen.
CU is a Korean convenience store, so they have a lot of Korean ramen, but they also have Japanese ramen.
This is a Demae-chan dish I bought at Circle K!
I bought it for about 177 yen, but is it cheaper or more expensive than in Japan?
I gave it to my brother to try and he said it was delicious. :)
There is also a variety of fast food options.
Burgers, sandwiches, steamed buns, etc.
You can buy them for about 100 to 200 yen! Meat buns are about 62 yen.
It's cheaper than Japan. Lol
Two points that make CU different from Japanese convenience stores
CU, the most common convenience store in Mongolia, is different from Japanese convenience stores in some ways.
1. Cooked in-store
At CU, when you order a sandwich or hot dog, it will be cooked for you on a hot plate next to the register.
In Japan, hot snacks are sold at the register, but it's rare to see them made right in front of you.
2. Delivery Service
One of CU's special services is delivery.
I've lived in Japan for about three years, but I've never heard of delivery from a convenience store. (They may be able to do it now though.)
Delivery here costs around 2,000₮=77 yen.
If you spend more than 380 yen (10,000₮), you will receive free delivery.
This is the basic menu for CU. (26 yen = 1₮) Delivery time: 08:00-21:30
You can have both alcohol and food delivered. It's amazing.
I was surprised when I first heard about this service.
(After doing some research, I found that delivery is still limited and some stores don't sell alcohol.)
Coronavirus has also affected convenience stores...
Convenience stores are usually open 24 hours a day, but now their opening hours have been limited to 7am to 10pm as a countermeasure against COVID-19.
Does that happen in Japan? I don't think so.
In Mongolia, travel between 11pm and 6am is currently prohibited as a measure against coronavirus, so convenience stores seem to be following suit. (For now, it's scheduled for about two weeks, but not forever.)
It's unexpected that a convenience store is open until 10pm! Lol
summary
In this blog, we introduced convenience stores in Mongolia.
When speaking of Mongolia, many people may have images of vast grasslands and Mongolian yurts.
There are still areas where people live like nomads, but Ulaanbaatar has the atmosphere of a normal city, with convenience stores and buildings just like in Japan and other countries. It's strange! Lol
However, if you leave Ulaanbaatar a little way you can see the nomadic lifestyle and see the vast grasslands and many animals (sheep, cows, horses, goats and camels raised by nomads).
I hope that in this way everyone can learn a little bit about the real Mongolia.
I would be very happy if you could become at least a little interested in Mongolia through HushTug.
Well, that's all for this time.
Thank you for reading this far!
HushTug
Hariuna