Enter China

Get into China.

Strategy, brand, cross-border setup, distribution. Four services that take you from idea to first sales, run by one team.

Talk to us See the four services
The starting question

How do foreign brands enter China?

Four routes. Each one fits a different appetite for risk, capital and operational depth.

Cross-border eCommerce

Tmall Global or JD Worldwide. Ship from a bonded warehouse, no Chinese entity required, launch in 8 to 12 weeks. Thinner margins, real customs paperwork, platform compliance that has hardened in the last two years.

Vetted distributor

A local partner takes the operational risk off your team. They hold inventory, they sell into the channels they know, you protect brand equity through a marketing contract on top. Common route for FMCG, F&B and consumer health.

Trade partner (TP)

The middle option. You keep the brand and the customer relationship, the TP runs your Tmall Global or Douyin EC store under a fixed fee plus revenue share. Our senior team has been running TP-model stores in China for more than a decade.

WFOE (China entity)

Wholly foreign-owned enterprise. 12 to 18 months of setup, your own license, your own staff, your own customer data. The right move when China becomes a top-three line in your global P&L.

We have run all four with international brands for two decades. The right answer depends on your category, your margin structure, and how much downside you can carry in year one.

Brands we have brought into China

Three weeks of market and regulatory diagnosis. Channel selection. Distributor shortlist or cross-border setup. We phase commitments so you only buy the next step.

  • Marriott

    Eight-figure RMB GMV on Tmall Super Brand Day

  • Camper

    +330% audience growth on WeChat, Weibo and RED

  • Valio

    Sub-brand eila launched with localised name and full visual identity

  • Pierre Fabre

    Leadership masterclass and the 3D Digital Growth Model

Four ways in

Pick the one that fits where you are today.

Some brands need a strategy before anything moves. Some are ready to launch. Some need the brand rebuilt for a Chinese audience first. Start where it makes sense.

A finance analyst reviewing a China market entry financial model on a desktop in a Shanghai office
Strategy

Market Entry Consulting

A model built for your category, your budget, your timeline. Plus a roadmap your team can actually run.

See the consulting work
Visual identity layouts adapted for Chinese platforms and packaging
Brand

Branding & Localisation

Your brand, sharpened for the Chinese shopper. Name, identity, packaging, voice.

See the brand work
A Chinese eCommerce distributor team reviewing inventory in a Shanghai fulfillment warehouse
Launch

Cross-Border eCommerce Setup

Tmall Global or JD Worldwide, live in months. No Chinese entity needed.

See the setup work
A foreign brand manager and Chinese operator reviewing a Tmall flagship dashboard in a Shanghai office
Reach

Distribution

Online, offline, every region. The right partner for your category, vetted on our side of the table.

See the distribution work
Not sure which one fits?

Tell us where you are. We will tell you what to do next.

A senior member of the team writes back, never a chatbot. 20 minutes on the phone usually saves you a year of guessing.

Start the conversation See our work