Three robot-operated convenience stores have opened in Hong Kong, marking the first expansion of Beijing-based robotics firm Galbot outside mainland China.

The stores, located in Hung Hom, Kai Tak and Wan Chai, are staffed entirely by a 173-cm-tall wheeled humanoid called Xiaogai. Each compact store runs 24 hours a day, stocked with snacks, drinks and lifestyle merchandise.

According to reports, the robot stocks shelves, retrieves products for customers and processes checkouts. Xiaogai speaks Mandarin, Cantonese and English, and reads shopper intent through visual and audio perception.

The outlets opened to customers in early September 2026. Galbot already operates about 200 retail stores across nearly 50 cities on the mainland, so the Hong Kong rollout arrives with real operational experience behind it.

The company has said it plans roughly 10 additional Hong Kong locations over the coming years, as it tests whether robot-assisted retail can scale in a different commercial and regulatory environment.