Snow Peak Apparel, the outdoor brand operated by lifestyle outdoor company Gamsung Corporation (CEO Kim Ho-sun, KOSDAQ: 036620), is accelerating its push into China's offline market with a series of store openings in premium retail districts on the mainland, the company said on the 7th. The new stores are in Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan in Hubei province. By adding some of China's leading consumer cities to a distribution network built largely around other major cities, the company has broadened its business base in the country.
The openings stand out for covering cities that span China's main consumer regions. Snow Peak Apparel has expanded into Beijing, the nation's capital and a leading center of consumption and culture; Shanghai, which sets the pace for fashion and trends; and Wuhan, a key consumer city in central China. The moves give the brand direct touchpoints with consumers in each region. Beijing and Wuhan mark the brand's first entry into those cities, while Shanghai gains an additional store.
Beijing and Shanghai are among China's largest consumer markets and core retail hubs, home to a concentration of global fashion and lifestyle brands. The newly opened stores measure 626 square meters in Beijing and 691 square meters in Shanghai. Targeting each city's key consumer base, both carry a wide assortment ranging from the latest seasonal collections to off-season merchandise. The Shanghai store is the brand's second in the city, following its existing Qiantan Taikoo Li location. The Beijing store marks Snow Peak Apparel's first foray into the capital and was introduced in the company's press release as the Beijing Xiuchuang store.
According to a company official, the brand's Chinese partner placed large-scale reorders of merchandise while preparing for the Beijing and Shanghai openings. The company added that customer response has remained consistently strong since the stores opened. Gamsung Corporation expects the two stores to play an important role in raising Snow Peak Apparel's brand awareness among China's key consumer segments.
Wuhan, home to 14 million people, is the largest city in central China. A transportation hub classified as a "new first-tier" city, it anchors a wide consumer market that extends across the surrounding region. With Wuhan following Beijing and Shanghai, Snow Peak Apparel now has an offline network linking eastern China, central China and the capital region.
Gamsung Corporation had previously expanded its store footprint to major Chinese cities including Guangzhou, Chongqing, Taiyuan and Jinan. With the addition of Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan, its distribution network is expected to become further diversified across first-tier and new first-tier cities. Building on this expansion, the company has high hopes for the fall-winter season, the outdoor industry's peak period.
Working with its local partner in China, the company plans to continue tailoring store operations and product assortments to the consumption patterns and retail characteristics of each city. In doing so, it aims to keep expanding its touchpoints with local consumers.
“Beijing, Shanghai and Wuhan are major Chinese cities, each with its own distinct consumer characteristics and retail landscape, so we expect that operating stores in these three regions will allow us to convey Snow Peak Apparel's brand value to a broader range of consumers,” a Gamsung Corporation official said. “Going forward, we will continue to expand offline spaces where consumers can experience the brand firsthand, centered on major cities, and steadily strengthen the foundation of our China business through operations tailored to each region's characteristics.”
