Duan Yongping says Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) is a pioneer of Chinese product internationalization; had previously said he wouldn’t invest

Investor Duan Yongping praises Pop Mart after visiting London store

Duan Yongping (段永平), a prominent Chinese investor, has praised Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) as "the true pioneer of Chinese product internationalization," it has been reported. Duan posted on the Snowball investor platform that he visited a Pop Mart outlet at Westfield in London, found the roughly 60-square-metre shop bustling, and was struck that most customers were adults with only about 10% coming from an older Chinese demographic. "Right business, right people! Right price is important and uncommon but seems to be here," he reportedly wrote.

From skeptic to admirer — a change of heart

The endorsement is notable because Duan had earlier said he would not invest in Pop Mart. In a December interview with Wang Shi he admitted he "couldn't understand" the company and would neither buy its stock nor invest. But in March, he posted again on social media saying he had reconsidered and "decided to withdraw my statement that I would not invest in Pop Mart," reportedly reversing his earlier position.

What this means for Chinese brands abroad

Pop Mart is best known for collectible blind‑box toys and other "emotional value" products that have proved wildly popular with adult collectors in China. Its London storefront — and Duan’s public praise — are being framed as evidence that certain Chinese consumer brands can translate niche cultural appeal into overseas commercial success. Why does this matter? Chinese firms are expanding global retail footprints even as geopolitical frictions and trade restrictions complicate deeper tech and supply‑chain plays. Successes like Pop Mart offer a softer, consumer‑facing model of internationalization that faces fewer regulatory headwinds but still navigates cultural and market differences abroad.