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Mark & Lona Opens First China Golf Showroom
Mark & Lona, a Japanese golf-wear brand, recently announced plans to open their first offline showroom in Beijing in spring 2025. The brand positions itself as "the one and only luxury golf apparel brand." Golf is rapidly gaining popularity in China amid the growing interest in outdoor sports, following trends in hiking, skiing, and tennis. Even sportswear brands not traditionally known for their golf lines, such as Skechers, Fila, and Descente, are quickly capitalizing on this trend.
Freshhippo (Hema) Founder Launches Pet Grocery Chain
Hou Yi, founder of Freshhippo (known as Hema in China), an Alibaba-owned high-end grocery store chain, is launching his next venture — a similar grocery concept, but for pets. Pet Xiansheng was incorporated last week in Shanghai and has already secured angel investment from industry players. Pet care is one of the fastest-growing markets in China, defying the overall economic slowdown. According to iResearch, a market research firm, 19.4% of Chinese households will have one or more pets by 2026.
Domino's Hits 1000 Stores in China After 27 Years
Domino's, the blue-and-red pizza restaurant chain, opened its 1,000th pizzeria in mainland China in Chengdu last week, becoming the second Western pizza chain to reach this milestone after Pizza Hut, which has over 3,400 stores. Additionally, Domino's is on track to register its first profitable year in 2024, 27 years after entering mainland China in 1997. The company's success in China is often attributed to its highly efficient delivery system, well-adapted to China's competitive market, and clever localization strategy (exemplified by the panda-themed 1,000th store celebrating local cultural icons).
China's Senior Market to Hit 700B USD
Monty Sharma, CEO of Therabody, the inventor of Theragun, said in a recent interview with Yicai that China has always been and will continue to be a key market, as Chinese consumers are increasingly health-conscious and the population is aging. The "Silver Economy" was widely discussed as one of the key economic drivers for the next decade during the recent China International Import Expo. According to Fudan University, China's "Silver Market" will reach 5,000 billion RMB (approximately 700 billion USD) by 2050.
Disney+ Teams Up With Chinese Social Media
Disney unveiled its star-studded Disney+ APAC Originals lineup for 2025-26 during its Showcase this week, including Captain America 4 and Toy Story 5. Ms. Cai Zhihang, Vice President of Marketing for Disney in the Asia-Pacific region, stated that as more movies will be released in mainland China next year, Disney is working closely with Little Red Book, Douyin, and Bilibili to promote these titles in the coming years. The new Big Three of social media in China are attracting attention from a wide range of businesses, including those not traditionally known for utilizing social media for marketing purposes, such as mutual funds.
People's Park is a newsletter that offers unique insights into China's dynamic market - the world's second largest economy. Founded and edited by Frank Ye of Brands Without Borders Ltd., the publication weaves together perspectives from journalism, anthropology, marketing, e-commerce, and branding to help readers navigate and understand China's rapidly evolving business landscape. Subscribe here:
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