AS Watson Group, the parent company of the world's largest and fastest growing health and beauty retail shop Watsons, has announced that it has opened its 15,000th store. The latest store that helped it hit the new milestone was opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  The company has recently been ramping up its expansion into foreign markets since Victor Li Tzar-Kuoi had taken over as chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings, the majority stakeholder of AS Watson Group.

Watsons, which started out as a simple dispensary, was founded in 1828 by Dr. Thomas Boswell Watson. The Scottish doctor moved to Hong Kong in the 1800s and started his own medicine shop. Now, Watsons has become as ubiquitous in Asia as 7-Eleven, with a shop now found in every city and neighborhood. The store sells multiple types of items from tissues, snacks, beauty products, and even its own brand of medicine and drinks.

The company's 15,000th store in Kuala Lumpur is its 500th store in Malaysia, which is one of Asia's fastest-growing markets for beauty and health products. Watsons currently operates in various countries, including China, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines, Turkey, Russia, Turkey, and Vietnam.

The latest milestone has been seen by investors as a great sign that the company is still in capable hands.  Victor Li, who took over the company from his father, Hong Kong business tycoon Li Ka-Shing, has made big high-profile decisions to further expand the company into foreign markets. According to CIS Pride Select Fund manager, Harris Wan, the market has been closely monitoring the company since Li had taken over last year. CK Hutchison Holdings currently has its hands in various industries, which include stakes in telecommunications, infrastructure, ports, retail, and energy.

Unlike his father, Li has had a more aggressive approach for the company including high-profile land purchases and projects across the globe. Since he took over as chairman of the company, Li has focused much of CK Hutchison's assets towards the Hong Kong property Market, with a string of new projects estimated to require around US$8.41 billion in new investments. Despite the transition, Li still remains faithful to the company's policy of penetrating international markets. However, some analysts believe that monopolizing the market shouldn't be the company's only goal as it wouldn't be as sustainable in the long run. Wan explains that Li's high-profile tactics will eventually run out of traction and Li will have to find a way to bring the company into a new era.

Last year, CK Hutchison Holdings reported a net profit increase of 11 percent, which equates to US$4.97 billion.