Foreign flavor, local twist: How the chocolate market in China is evolving
When chocolate was introduced to the Chinese market in the 1980s, companies lacked three things: a temperature-controlled supply chain, retail stores equipped with air-conditioning, and most importantly, Chinese consumers’ trust. Chocolate was a foreign oddity, and as much as an exotic product had piqued consumers’ interest, its high price and low availability did not encourage consumption. […]
How Costco in China thrives with few SKUs
In August 2019, American warehouse club Costco officially entered the Chinese market with a physical store in Shanghai. The opening weekend marked a hive of activity, with three-hour waits for parking spaces and thirty-minute queues at the checkouts. In January 2024, Costco in China expanded to the South with the opening of its Shenzhen location, receiving […]
With only four stores in 2024, does this mark the end of Carrefour in China?
When the French multinational retail corporation entered China in 1995, as its name in Chinese (“家乐福,” meaning family, happiness, and fortune) suggests, Carrefour was a place where many Chinese consumers visited with their family, friends, and loved ones. However, despite enjoying success for about two decades, in the mid-2010s, it started experiencing serious challenges. Even […]
Beer market in China: Is premiumization the right move amid the slowing economy?
China holds over 15% of the global beer market share, making it the largest beer-consuming country in the world. However, as Chinese consumers cut back on spending and show evolving consumer preferences, such as more demand for premium and craft beers, it presents both opportunities and challenges for beer brands. By 2025, the beer market […]
From milk tea to chili sauce: Can Sexy Tea (茶颜悦色) catch up with CHAGEE (霸王茶姬)?
Founded in 2013 in Changsha, Hunan, Sexy Tea (茶颜悦色) built its brand around “New Chinese-style Fresh Tea”(新中式鲜茶) focusing primarily on light milk tea (轻乳茶). Thanks to its distinctive flavor and exclusive local business model, it quickly gained popularity. However, while its reputation soared, Sexy Tea remained cautious about expansion and only ventured beyond Changsha […]
Will Cotti Coffee win the price war against Luckin Coffee?
Founded in August 2022 by former Luckin Coffee executives Lu Zhengya and Qian Zhiya, Cotti Coffee (库迪咖啡) has experienced rapid growth. As of May 2024, it had the third-highest number of coffee shops, with 6,505 stores, following Starbucks with 7,102 stores and Luckin Coffee with 18,360 stores. Despite its meteoric rise and the growing number […]
Starbucks in China: Will it lose the battle against Luckin Coffee?
Starbucks’s history began in 1971 with its first store opened in Seattle. Since then, the chain has continuously developed and, as of 2023, it has over 32,000 stores in 80 countries. In China, it opened its first store in Beijing, which was also the first ever foreign coffee shop to enter China. It grew so popular that, […]
China’s nighttime economy after 996: Work hard (and play hard?)
China’s nighttime economy is booming as young professionals seek solace and leisure after their demanding “996” work schedules (9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week). With limited free time in the day, nights have become a vital outlet for stress relief and emotional balance. According to the 2023 China Night Economy Development Report […]
Tripling sales and halving prices: China’s samples market revolutionizing purchases
Product samples have increasingly influenced full-size purchases in recent years, reshaping the Chinese B2C market. The astonishing popularity of sample-sized products has given rise to a thriving samples economy in China which has not seen similar growth in the West. Chinese consumers are increasingly embracing sample-sized shopping, leading to a shift from samples being purely promotional to […]
China’s samples economy report
Product samples are incredibly popular in China, driving the growth of a unique economy that hasn’t seen the same rise in the West due to specific economic factors and consumer preferences. In China, product samples are evolving from a promotional tactic to a packaging option, as consumers are increasingly willing to buy sample-sized products. This […]
Meal kits in China: catering to modern lifestyles with convenience and culinary variety
The surge of meal kits in China finds its roots in the upheaval brought about by the pandemic, which reshaped consumer habits and preferences. As restrictions made it inconvenient for people to dine out, a burgeoning trend of purchasing pre-cooked meal kits emerged, offering a convenient and safer alternative. Ready-to-eat meal kits swiftly gained popularity […]
“ChaPanda dips over 10% on the first day after its IPO”: Trending hashtag on Chinese social media
ChaPanda (茶百道) made its debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on April 23rd, earning the title of “the second stock of new tea beverages (新茶饮第二股)” after Naixue, and emerging as a major player in China’s freshly-made tea beverage market by 2023. However, ChaPanda’s stock faced a 10.06% drop on its first day, signaling the intense competition […]