Chinese sportswear group ANTA will launch its first permanent US store in California, marking its formal move into physical retail in the country.

Spanning 2,500ft² to 3,000ft², the Beverly Hills outlet will carry performance running products, lifestyle footwear, basketball collections and apparel, as well as athlete-focused displays and branded in-store settings.

The company said the location is intended to act as its US brand centre, hosting run clubs and programmes highlighting Chinese-American heritage, sport and performance innovation.

The opening forms part of ANTA’s wider overseas expansion, which includes more than 12,000 shops across China.

ANTA brand CEO Samuel Tsui said: “Opening our first US flagship in Beverly Hills is a defining moment for ANTA. This store represents our commitment to the US market and our belief that sport, culture, and performance innovation belong on the world's biggest stages. Beverly Hills is the perfect home for that vision.”

The group said the US presence is aimed at supporting brand development, partnerships with athletes and customer engagement nationwide.

Separately, ANTA Sports recently agreed to acquire a 29.06% stake in Puma from Groupe Artémis in a €1.5bn ($1.7bn) all-cash transaction.

After completing the purchase, ANTA Sports intends to seek a seat on Puma’s supervisory board while keeping the company’s independent governance as a German-listed business.

It said it is not planning a takeover bid and will instead assess potential avenues for cooperation.

Commenting on the deal at the time, ANTA Sports board chairman Ding Shizhong said: “Working with Puma, we look forward to learning from each other and joining hands to fully unlock the brand’s full potential.

“This will further accelerate ANTA Sports’ globalisation and help drive the next chapter of growth for the global sports markets, including China – creating lasting value for both companies’ consumers and shareholders worldwide.”