Company eyes big market prospects

Minnie Mouse imprinted on the Chinese traditional Qipao silk dress, Qing Dynasty style Chinese wooden furniture with elements from the Star Wars franchise, and mooncakes packaged with images of Disney’s iconic characters were some of the exhibits on display at the annual franchise convention held by The Walt Disney Co in Shanghai on Tuesday.

The Burbank-based entertainment company has taken up more than 55 percent of the franchised market in China, making it the largest franchiser in the country.

“We have the largest licensing business in China,” said Luke Kang, executive vice-president and managing director of the Walt Disney Company in China. “Almost everybody in China has interacted with Disney in one form or another.”

More than 4,000 licensees and business partners have shown up.

The number was 2,500 last year. The company’s franchise business has been booming, boosted by the growth of the middle class.

Last year Disney sold 15 million T-shirts, 6.5 million Tsum Tsums (mini-sized stuffed toys) and has been estimated to have provided school supplies for about 50 million Chinese students in the back-to-school season just recently.

For the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival, the company hopes to sell 5 million mooncakes with Disney elements, according to Kermid Rahman, general manager of Disney Consumer Product and Interactive China.

Rahman said the demographics for its consumer products have been changing, from 60 percent of their licensed products going to children and families and 40 percent for young adults, to 55 percent to children and families and 45 percent for young adults.