Major Asian Supermarket to Open Largest US Store in Fremont
A major Asian supermarket chain plans to open its largest U.S. location in Fremont. While the chain's name is still under wraps, the new store represents a significant retail investment in the city, promising new jobs and shopping options.
The Fremont store, a 100,000-square-foot, two-story building, represents the largest investment in H Mart's history. It will be located in the Pacific Commons Shopping Center, taking over a former Kohl's building. Construction is slated to begin in late 2026. This new location is a flagship for a new multi-level store prototype that includes a food hall, dine-in restaurants, and a bar. The goal is to create a destination that blends community spaces and dining with traditional grocery shopping. The expansion into a massive physical footprint coincides with H Mart's investment in automation for its online operations. The company has partnered with robotics firm AutoStore and integrator Bastian Solutions to deploy a fully automated micro-fulfillment center (MFC) to handle e-commerce orders. This move into robotics and MFCs is a strategic effort to increase fulfillment efficiency for both packaged goods and fresh and frozen items. H Mart's Executive Vice President, Vince Colatriano, has stated the goal is to partner with the best automated technology to fulfill orders quickly and efficiently. To further streamline its digital operations, H Mart has been overhauling its e-commerce platform in partnership with VTEX. This includes the implementation of a pick-and-pack application to improve the efficiency and accuracy of in-store order fulfillment. The development of this large-scale Fremont store, alongside a growing investment in logistics and fulfillment technology, signals a dual focus on both in-person experience and scalable, automated e-commerce. This strategy positions H Mart to compete with other large grocery chains that are increasingly turning to micro-fulfillment and automation to handle online order volume.
