Foreign ice cream is no longer cool in China. Here’s why that matters
As in many other areas, young Chinese are turning away from global brands like Häagen-Dazs in favour of cheaper, nimbler local rivals
For years, Feng Hui, an operations manager living in Guangzhou, made a tradition of taking her daughter Claire to celebrate her birthday at a Haagen-Dazs store near her home.
But this month, the 14-year-old had other ideas: she told her mother she wanted to spend her birthday at a popular local tea bar with her friends.
“Chinese teenagers now prefer domestic brands – they look great, and new products are coming out every month that tempt them to take selfies and post on social media,” Feng said.
The birthday cake also got a makeover. Instead of a Haagen-Dazs ice cream cake – which used to be a byword in China for luxury and sophistication – Claire chose a custom-made cake from a local bakery featuring her favourite video game character.
In her eyes, Haagen-Dazs is simply “not cool” – a sentiment that is becoming common among young Chinese, reflecting broader shifts in the country’s consumer landscape.