At your service: Hong Kong welcomes first humanoid robot-run convenience stores

Hong Kong is set to welcome its first convenience stores operated by humanoid robots, with the first "Galbot stores" opening in Hung Hom, Kai Tak, and Wan Chai in the coming days. The Beijing-based company, Galbot, plans to establish about 10 more outlets in the city over the next few years, marking its first overseas location. Zhao Yuli, the company's chief strategy officer, stated that Hong Kong serves as an important platform for China to engage with the international market.

Galbot's robots, powered by their embodied foundation model AstraBrain, will handle tasks such as taking orders, delivering goods, and preparing drinks using a connected coffee machine. However, human attendants will still be needed for certain operations, including some replenishment tasks. The company's robots have won gold, silver, and bronze medals in the retail category at the World Humanoid Robot Games, demonstrating their capabilities in restocking shelves, managing inventory, and identifying misplaced items.

The Hong Kong store will be able to understand Cantonese, which will be a notable feature of the launch. The stores will also offer cultural and creative products, in addition to beverages and food. Galbot is confident that the business will break even within 12 to 18 months, a common timeline for bricks-and-mortar retail. The company has already seen success in Beijing and Jiangxi, where cultural and creative merchandise linked to local landmarks boosted foot traffic by 20 to 30 percent in some areas.

As part of its international expansion strategy, Galbot is exploring collaboration models with local partners and expects to see more deployments across various international markets. The company will also introduce other robots to Hong Kong, including the Galbot ET1, its first learning-capable agentic bipedal humanoid robot.