24-12-2023 (SINGAPORE) The presence of sweet treats from mainland China, including ice cream, bubble tea, and lattes, is becoming increasingly common across South-East Asia. One prominent brand leading the charge is Mixue, an affordable soft-serve ice cream and bubble tea chain hailing from the central Chinese province of Henan.
With its distinctive red signboards, popular snowman mascot, and catchy jingle set to the tune of the American song “Oh! Susanna,” Mixue has successfully established over 32,000 outlets worldwide as of mid-2023 through its franchise model. In terms of store count, Mixue ranked as the fifth-largest fast-food chain globally, trailing behind McDonald’s, Subway, Starbucks, and KFC.
“Mixue is everywhere,” said Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, an Indonesian academic and researcher at Indonesia’s Center of Economics and Law Studies, highlighting the brand’s pervasive presence in his home country. Over the past five years, Mixue has expanded to operate more than 1,000 stores each in Indonesia and Vietnam, solidifying its status as the largest beverage chain from China in its southern neighbor. The brand has also gained a strong foothold in other ASEAN markets, with more than half of its overseas stores located in the region.
Chinese food and beverage brands have made significant inroads beyond the realm of sweets. Haidilao, a hotpot giant, has established 68 outlets across five South-East Asian countries since its first foray abroad in 2012. Singapore alone hosts 20 Haidilao stores, making it the brand’s largest presence in the region. Other Chinese F&B brands eyeing expansion in South-East Asia include Chagee, a bubble tea chain with over 70 stores in Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, as well as Tanyu, a grilled fish chain with seven outlets in Singapore and Malaysia.
Analysts suggest that the popularity of these brands could go beyond corporate success, potentially bolstering China’s cultural influence and improving its public image in the region. The “State of South-East Asia: 2023 Survey Report,” released by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, revealed that 59.9% of respondents across ASEAN member states considered China the most influential economic power in South-East Asia. However, 64.5% of these respondents expressed concerns about China’s growing economic influence.
Dr. Le Hong Hiep, a senior fellow and coordinator of the Vietnam studies program at the institute, believes that food is a strategic tool for China to enhance its reputation in the region. Similar to its success with movies and TV shows—cultural exports popular in Vietnam—food is less politically sensitive and offers a viable means to improve China’s image. Dr. Rakhmat also believes that Mixue’s expansion will positively impact China’s image in Indonesia, a country with a history of anti-China sentiment.
In Singapore, Mixue attracts customers with its value-for-money offerings. Its signature soft-serve cones, priced at $1, are lauded as affordable, creamy, and delicious. Customers like Madam Yeo, a 69-year-old retiree who visits Mixue’s Bugis Village outlet with her sisters every few months, appreciate the brand’s affordability. Google Maps lists 10 Mixue outlets in Singapore.
Chinese eateries have become increasingly prevalent in Singapore, with VivoCity, the country’s largest mall, hosting at least nine F&B brands from mainland China. These include Heytea, a bubble tea chain, Nong Geng Ji, a Hunan restaurant, Riverside Grilled Fish, and Juewei, a braised snack joint. Notably, Chinese cuisine offerings extend beyond popular dishes like hotpot and spicy soup (ma la tang) to include regional delicacies from less familiar parts of China, such as Shaanxi, Gansu, and Xinjiang.
Qin Ji Rougamo, known for its hamburger-like dish (rou jia mo) from Shaanxi, established its first overseas outlet in Singapore in 2019 and now operates seven outlets across the island. Western Mahua, specializing in beef noodles from Gansu, and its sister restaurant Alijiang, offering dishes from regions along the Silk Road such as Xinjiang, also set up their initial overseas outposts in Singapore in 2018. The combined total of these two chains reaches four outlets.
The presence of Chinese F&B brands in Singapore not only enriches the local culinary landscape but also allows Singaporeans to gain a better understanding of authentic Chinese cuisine from various regions. Dinah Wong, a 35-year-old finance professional and fan of dishes like ma la tang, sauerkraut fish (suan cai yu), and barbecued skewers, appreciates the variety these brands bring. Exposure to Chinese F&B offerings in Singapore has amplified her interest in visiting China and exploring its wider array of food options.
While Chinese savory brands have yet to achieve the same level of widespread success as their sweet counterparts, their presence in South-East Asia is steadily growing. The expansion of Chinese food and beverage brands in the region not only demonstrates their corporate success but also has the potential to enhance China’s cultural influence and improve its public image.
