Korzinka, the leading retail chain in Uzbekistan, has announced the launch of a new store network under the Afzal Market brand. The first retail outlets have already opened in the Tashkent region—specifically in Dustabad, Chinaz, and Yangiyul. In the medium term, the company plans to scale this format across other regions of the country.

Afzal Market is designed for small towns and villages. The stores cover an area of 250–300 sq. m and feature an assortment of over 2,000 everyday SKUs, including fresh food, groceries, household chemicals, and children's goods. Within the retailer's ecosystem, the new project will fill the niche of affordable essential goods stores. It complements existing formats: classic Korzinka supermarkets (for large weekly shopping) and Korzinka Mahalla convenience stores.

Zafar Hashimov, the founder of the chain, noted that the strategic goal of Afzal Market is to make high-quality products accessible in the regions by lowering the cost of the basic food basket. Maintaining low prices is achieved through a simplified operational model. The compact store size and optimized assortment minimize logistics, storage, and rental costs, while consolidated bulk purchasing secures better terms from suppliers.

Notably, the corporate identity of the new stores sparked active discussions on social media: users initially mistook it for an unauthorized copy of the Korzinka brand. The company officially confirmed its authorship of the project, acknowledging the high loyalty and vigilance of its customers.

The launch of the Afzal Market format reflects a current trend in the CIS towards developing regional grocery retail with a focus on price optimization. The entry of a major federal player into small towns and villages in Uzbekistan indicates the saturation of large metropolitan markets and a desire to capture traffic from traditional (unorganized) retail.