After hiring Lu Han and Zhang Yixing to endorse its upgraded coffee, can Mixue Bingcheng (蜜雪冰城) still be affordable to the 'poor guys'?

Stars and strategy

Mixue Bingcheng (蜜雪冰城) — the Hebei-born chain known across China for rock‑bottom prices and a vast low‑tier footprint — has reportedly recruited pop stars Lu Han (鹿晗) and Zhang Yixing (张艺兴) to front an upgraded coffee line. The move signals a clear repositioning: from ultra‑value bubble tea and ice cream to a more premium, celebrity‑led coffee offering. It has been reported that the campaign aims to broaden Mixue’s appeal beyond its core young, price‑sensitive customers and to compete more directly with domestic rivals such as Luckin and multinational brands like Starbucks.

Affordability vs. upgrade

Why does this matter? Mixue built its brand on accessibility — the "poor guys" meme became a kind of badge of honor as consumers flocked to stores for cheap drinks. Celebrity endorsements change perception. They bring cachet, but they also raise costs: production, marketing and distribution all tick up when you chase a premium image. It has been reported that some netizens worry these costs will be passed to the customer, eroding the value proposition that made Mixue a mass‑market success.

Market and geopolitical context

China’s coffee market is expanding fast amid a broader consumer upgrade trend, but it is not insulated from global pressures. Coffee bean prices and logistics can be affected by trade policy and international supply‑chain fluctuations, and brands that push premium positioning may find margins squeezed. Domestically, the move also fits a common playbook: use celebrity power to accelerate category upgrades while leveraging an existing dense retail network to scale new SKUs quickly.

The gamble

Can Mixue carry Lu Han and Zhang Yixing without abandoning its “affordable for everyone” promise? That is the key question. If prices climb, Mixue risks alienating the base that made it ubiquitous; if they don't, the chain must still deliver perceived premium quality to justify the celebrity gloss. Either way, the campaign is a test of whether China’s mass‑market champions can successfully straddle value and prestige in a fast‑maturing beverage market.