Beijing, 15 March 2026 – Chinese bubble tea and ice-cream giant Mixue Ice Cream & Tea is planning to build a theme park in central China, signalling a bold expansion beyond beverages into entertainment and experiential consumption.
The project will be located at the company’s headquarters in Zhengzhou, where the brand was founded. The park will revolve around the company’s popular mascot “Snow King,” a singing snowman character that has become one of the most recognisable symbols in China’s fast-growing beverage industry.
The initiative highlights how Chinese consumer brands are increasingly turning to intellectual-property monetisation, tourism and entertainment to expand revenue streams as competition intensifies in the food and beverage sector.
From Cheap Ice Cream to a Global Beverage Powerhouse
Founded in 1997 by entrepreneur Zhang Hongchao, Mixue has grown into one of the largest food-service chains in the world. The company operates more than 46,000 outlets globally, surpassing traditional fast-food giants such as McDonald’s and Starbucks in terms of store count.
The brand built its popularity on ultra-affordable products, including:
- Ice cream priced as low as 2 yuan (around US$0.29)
- Bubble tea drinks starting from 4 yuan
These low prices, combined with aggressive franchising, helped Mixue expand rapidly across China and internationally. Today, the company operates in multiple regions including Southeast Asia, Japan and Australia.
However, the explosive growth of China’s tea-drink market has also intensified competition among brands, pushing companies to explore new business models.
The “Snow King” Theme Park Concept
The planned theme park will feature a variety of attractions based on Mixue’s Snow King mascot, including:
- Indoor themed experience zones
- Live performances and interactive shows
- Retail areas and immersive consumer experiences
The project aims to transform the Snow King character into a full-scale entertainment brand, similar to how global franchises leverage mascots and intellectual property for merchandise and tourism.
The park will likely integrate food, retail and entertainment to create what analysts call a “closed consumption loop” — encouraging visitors to spend across multiple experiences within the brand ecosystem.
A Strategy to Revive Local Economies
The theme park project also aligns with broader economic initiatives in China.
Local authorities in Zhengzhou have identified the Snow King park as a key development project aimed at boosting tourism, consumption and economic growth in the city.
In recent years, Chinese policymakers have increasingly promoted culture, tourism and experiential consumption as new drivers of domestic demand. These sectors are viewed as ways to offset slower growth in traditional areas such as property development and heavy industry.
According to economic analysts, integrating entertainment with consumer brands can stimulate local spending and create a broader economic multiplier effect.
Experiential Retail: A New Growth Strategy
Mixue’s theme park initiative reflects a global trend known as experiential retail, where brands combine products with immersive entertainment experiences.
This strategy has already been used successfully by several companies worldwide:
- Theme parks built around film and gaming franchises
- Branded cafés and immersive retail stores
- Entertainment complexes attached to shopping centres
By moving into entertainment, Mixue is attempting to transform its brand from a beverage chain into a multi-sector consumer platform.
Monetising Intellectual Property
At the heart of Mixue’s strategy is the commercial value of its mascot.
The Snow King character has become a cultural phenomenon in China, appearing in:
- Animated shows
- Merchandise products
- Viral marketing campaigns
- Social media content
Building a theme park around the character allows Mixue to monetise this intellectual property more effectively.
This approach mirrors successful global models such as:
- Disney theme parks built around film characters
- Nintendo’s Super Mario attractions
- Universal Studios movie-based parks
For Mixue, the goal is to turn its mascot into a long-term entertainment franchise rather than simply a marketing tool.
Challenges Ahead
Despite the ambitious vision, the project also carries significant risks.
Operating a theme park requires expertise very different from running a beverage chain. Key challenges may include:
1. High Capital Investment
Theme parks require substantial upfront spending on infrastructure, attractions and operations.
2. Market Competition
China already hosts major entertainment destinations such as Shanghai Disneyland and Universal Beijing Resort.
3. Consumer Trends
The success of the project will depend on whether Mixue’s brand can attract visitors beyond its core customer base of beverage buyers.
Nevertheless, analysts say the move reflects a broader transformation in China’s consumer economy.
The Bigger Picture: China’s Consumption Shift
China’s economy is gradually transitioning from investment-driven growth toward a model powered more by domestic consumption and services.
New consumer experiences — including theme parks, live entertainment and interactive retail — are increasingly seen as engines for economic activity.
Brands that successfully combine food, entertainment, intellectual property and tourism may gain a significant competitive advantage in this evolving landscape.
For Mixue, the Snow King theme park represents a major step in that direction.
