China’s Ohmee convenience stores move into Vietnam’s Petrolimex gas stations: A win-win?

Inside a 200- to 300-square-meter Petrolimex gas station, a compact convenience store of just over 10 square meters occupies the space right at the entrance.

The store operates under the Ohmee brand, owned by Meiyijia, one of China's largest convenience store chains with more than 40,000 outlets nationwide. 

Ohmee has partnered with Petrolimex and currently operates two locations in Hanoi.

An energy and services hub

At an Ohmee Express outlet on Nguyen Quy Duc Street in Thanh Xuan Ward, the store is built directly into the entrance of a Petrolimex gas station.

The compact outlet has shelves stocked with drinks and other convenience items, as well as a counter serving ready-to-eat food. 

Customers can pick up products themselves and pay quickly without having to spend much time inside the store.

The selection includes drinks, ice cream, and milk from various brands, along with instant noodles, snacks, dried beef, and chewing gum. 

At the food counter, staff serve freshly made items such as banh mi, sausages, and steamed buns.

The store also carries everyday essentials, including razors, sunscreen, and oral and personal care products.

With the shelves positioned at the gas station entrance, Ohmee puts its products within the easy reach of customers, allowing them to shop without parking and spending extra time inside a conventional convenience store.

According to Petrolimex, the opening of the first two Ohmee Express outlets in Hanoi is a pilot for integrating convenience stores into its network of gas stations.

The company said the initiative is aimed at expanding services and improving the customer experience as it gradually shifts from operating fuel retail outlets to becoming broader energy and service hubs.

Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Petrolimex deputy general director, said the partnership with Ohmee is part of the company's efforts to modernize its business model, make better use of its extensive network, and expand into new services amid the energy transition and digital transformation.

Petrolimex ultimately aims to develop multi-service energy hubs that can meet customers’ needs throughout their journeys.

A competitive combination

Ohmee also brings its own advantages to the partnership, drawing on the experience of Meiyijia, a retail chain founded in Guangdong, China in 1997 that now operates more than 40,000 stores.

Since entering the Vietnamese market in April 2026, Ohmee has been positioning itself as a modern convenience-services ecosystem, with plans to expand its presence nationwide.

Vietnam’s convenience store market, meanwhile, has grown rapidly over the past five years, attracting a growing number of major domestic and international brands.

Circle K remains the largest foreign convenience store chain in Vietnam, with more than 520 outlets, followed by GS25 with over 400. 

Ministop has around 180 stores, FamilyMart nearly 150, and 7-Eleven more than 120.

The market is also highly concentrated. Circle K accounts for 43 percent of convenience store sales, while GS25 holds around 15 percent, according to Euromonitor.

Brands such as GS25 and 7-Eleven have also been stepping up their expansion in major cities, targeting residential areas and younger consumers.

With scale, extensive networks and a broad range of fast-moving consumer goods increasingly becoming key advantages in the market, the partnership between Petrolimex and Ohmee could give the two companies room to gain ground.

Petrolimex operates more than 2,800 company-owned gas stations, in addition to a network of around 2,700 franchisees and agents. 

Ohmee, meanwhile, brings experience in running a large-scale convenience retail network in China.

According to Petrolimex, Ohmee Express is designed as an integrated convenience store within its gas station network, offering food, drinks, and essential goods for customers looking to shop or take a short break during their journey.

Although Ohmee only entered Vietnam in April, it now has 25 outlets across several provinces and cities.

The model combines fueling with everyday needs such as shopping, eating, and taking a break, allowing customers to take care of several needs at a single stop rather than using a gas station solely to refuel.