Pop Mart Expands into Bakery Business, Labubu Bakery Opens Here

Pop Mart, the Beijing-based collectible toy (blind box) manufacturer famous for its Labubu character, has officially begun global business diversification. The company recently opened its first international bakery, Pop Bakery, in Singapore as an initial step towards transforming short-term virality into long-term success. Strategically located opposite Universal Studios Singapore, the two-storey bakery turns Pop Mart’s iconic characters into three-dimensional (3D) sweet treats. Signature menu items include a black sesame ice lolly shaped like Labubu and a double cheesecake in the form of the Molly character. A total of 45 toy-themed cake and beverage variants are offered, priced from S$5 to S$32 (Rp 70,000 to Rp 500,000). Pop Bakery’s head at Pop Mart, Zhang Xiaoyang, revealed that Singapore is merely the first stop in their global ambitions. Pop Mart plans to expand the dessert shop concept across Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, before targeting Western markets. ‘We are also considering opening bakeries in Europe and the United States. It is only a matter of time, and we need to address issues like local supply chains first,’ Zhang said in an interview. Zhang added that Pop Mart has a distinct advantage over its competitors. The company prides itself on being able to make its characters directly edible in precise three-dimensional forms. This approach differs from other entertainment companies like Disney, which typically still use flat designs or plastic ornaments atop their cakes. ‘We hope to use our IP (intellectual property) to accompany all aspects of consumers’ lives, and desserts are one of them,’ Zhang said. The opening of the Singapore outlet follows the debut of Pop Mart’s first bakery in the coastal city of Qinhuangdao, China, last April. Before launching the physical store, Pop Mart had tested the concept through more than 30 dessert truck pop-up stalls in China. This bold move comes amid a challenging business climate for Pop Mart. The company is currently facing soaring production costs, coupled with scrutiny from analysts questioning the sustainability of its business model after sales growth and annual revenue fell short of expectations in recent quarters. Beyond the culinary business, Pop Mart is aggressively expanding to follow in the footsteps of entertainment giant Disney. This year, the company has announced a collaboration with Sony Pictures to develop a Labubu film and is expanding its theme park, Pop Land, located in Beijing.