Why America’s Biggest Brands Are Failing to Keep Up in China | WSJ 

China reopened to foreign students. Americans are staying away: on.wsj.com/3Y2StF8

If the US companies want to make money, they need to compete. If you can get the same coffee at the price of $2, why bother to spend $4 at Starbucks?

What wrong with Chinese using or eating Chinese brands? In this world, who gives rights to American brands to dominate every aspect of our lives?

The US was right, China has an overcapacity of delicious and affordable food

tho in China no one is beating KFC, they're genuinely crazy they'll collab with literally anything 😂

Some of these companies are not just failing in China. Nike and Starbucks are falling in popularity in the US.

It's not so much patriotism but just consumers looking for the most value. Of course local brand is gonna thrive.

Chinese older people admire American culture, while young people are more confident in Chinese culture.

What’s the problem with the Chinese preferring their own brands to foreign brands? Foreign companies have long dominated the Chinese market. American companies have made heaps profits off China. About time for the Chinese to gain their share on their home turfs.

Chinese are embracing local brands America: security threat

On the other hand, it’s a consumer’s paradise. For example, being forced to compete with rivals like Xiaomi and Huawei, iPhones are often heavily discounted in China. You can get an iPhone 15 Pro Max for $675 on Taobao - no trade in’s, no nonsense. Ultimately, China’s domestic market is fiercely competitive - once an industry, brand, or concept is proven, new money rushes in and tries to displace first movers with price wars. This makes it difficult for any company to truly last, doubly so for foreign brands.

Nothing wrong when Americans want to buy American, but as soon as Chinese (or any other enemy) want to buy local then there's a problem?

Ridiculous, typical American thinking, was McDonald's defeated by Chinese hamburgers? There is no connection at all. Chinese food is much richer and more diverse than American food. It was only because the market was immature, commercial civilization was underdeveloped, and capital was not abundant that there were no local chain restaurants. It is not just Chinese hamburgers that defeated McDonald's. There are also noodles, buns, pancakes, dumplings, and now they all have corresponding Chinese chain brands. Who will still focus on two slices of bread and a piece of meat patty? The reason why the United States has Burger King and McDonald's is that the only thing the United States can offer is hamburgers.

I was in China recently and the Luckin Coffee had so many innovative coffee flavours that incorporated fruits flowers and tea and honestly they were all shockingly good even the simple basics that Starbucks always mess up on. Not just Luckin, there were so many small cafes too that were superb. Coffee culture is big in China, people are passionate about it. Don’t dismiss their ability to innovate on food and drinks.

*Burger with Chinese Characteristics*

I live in Indonesia and the trend is the same. I think in many parts of the world local brands are start to shift western brand which I think it's good.

USA: The World need to embrace innovation. China invented stuff USA: HOW DARE YOU!!!

Nike has the right not to use Xinjiang cotton, and the Chinese have the right not to buy it.

I don’t know who goes to Starbucks in China. It is more expensive than in the US. A cup of coffee for above ¥40. There are a lot of much cheaper alternatives, like luckin coffee, boba tea. All are more than 50% cheaper.

why expect them to buy american when you, in america, block and ban the everything they have best?

*Money is not meant to control people, rather it is meant to be put to work producing more money for you. You cannot build wealth without putting money in its rightful place*

This is called derisking, it goes both ways.

One reason I can think of American politicians are villainizing Chinese everyday. If you are a Chinese , would you buy and support American brands?

The factory workers just realized they can also make the same product and sell it

I was homeless, got into drug's went to prison and then I got to know Jesus and he changed my life...Heaven came through for me in my finances too, getting $50,000 in 2months . I can support God's work and give back to my community. God is absolutely more than enough! Now I have a new identity and a child of God

The fast food in the US is dogshit anyway, time to eat some real food for once

"Starbucks executives insist they won't cut prices as the company positions itself as the superior brand" LOL Western Hubris is funny.

In my country (Thailand), local brands do out perform US brands by a lot too. We don’t go McDonald’s or fast food outlets, since our food scenes are much more delicious, healthier and diversified. Our shopping malls are the world’s best and are much better than US malls. Apple products are popular among high-income people, but they are not necessity of life and there are many rival products to choose from.

I live in Japan, and many colleagues are complaining about Starbucks quality and how they put a lot of sugar and other flavors instead of coffee. Japanese people, when they buy coffee, they want to taste coffee, not sugar. Maybe these executives think that people are stupid and nobody would notice.

chinese people preferring local brands assuming the quality is comparable, shocking

McDonald's, Starbucks, Nike, Walmart are not premium brands to begin with. I live in the U.S.A. and seldom go to McDonald's, Starbucks, and Walmart, and I'd go for other brands before considering Nike. Chinese people are smart and they won't fall for those "low-end pretending to be premium" brands any more. Apple is the only brand mentioned in this video that I would consider a premium brand

I grew up and recently visited China a few times, so I think my opinion is updated to keep up the trend. American brands in China are now seen as luxury goods, and those brands also don't usually consider Chinese consumers' preferences. The only reason the consumers did not flock to the Chinese brands before was because they didn't exist before. And like what this video said, why pay more for the same product?

Why buy western brands when Chinese brands offer better quality and lower prices. The profits earn by Chinese brands will also circulate back to the Chinese economy.

They are doing the same thing Chinese EVs have done. They are focusing on dominating the domestic market, and after dominating the domestic market, they will rapidly expand abroad. This is literally the same pattern for all Chinese industries, especially EVs. Sooner or later, we will see these brands all around the world.... Just like Chinese EVs...

“Its about whether it tastes good” *takes bite* -video ends 😭

I want to tell you a truth, Chinese Mcdonalds are better than the US ones, and this brand "Tasiting" is even better than Mcdonald( Specifically for the hamburger). But I'd admit Mcdonald has the best ice cream among these fast-food restaurant.

I am proud to say, I went from having McDonalds 5 times a week, sometimes 6, to zero, exactly 20 years ago this month!

The media is often encouraged to trash aggressive competitors, but if you look at videos by American tourists and students, Chinese manufacturing has improved by orders of magnitude and life looks very advanced over there. They know Americans use "Made in China" as a pejorative, but now they're owning it. Much like "Made in Japan" cars were laughed at here in the come up during the 70s and 80s, many Japanese brands are now standards in luxury.

"a chinese burger for a chinese stomach" < McDonalds

the US:If they're going to beat us under the rules, then we change the rules

No one can't be the top dog forever. The age of easy money for US brands in China is over. Everything is fair game now; compete or die. Get used to the changing world.

Struggling to understand the point of the video. Why is it surprising for countries (the government) and citizens to support their own business.

Anta sponsoring Kyrie and Klay was a very smart move

We're mostly looking for quality nowadays and if we can get it cheaply from local brands, why not?

So...US doesn't like competition? Whoda thunk right?

It is good for any country to support its homegrown businesses.

Why do the ante ads or whatever the brand is called look so ai generated?

so..... does it taste better? what kind of softball journalism is this?

At least Chinese are not banning or putting high tariffs on American brands in national security concerns unlike US

how do you compete with people who has no respect for IP?

Chinese does capitalism better than America, part of what I knew about capitalism is competition, who has the best product for the best price, wins the capitalist game. good job China, and as usually America is lagging behind

You're going to have a bad time trying to sell "Made in Vietnam" and "Made in India" to domestic Chinese when they were previously "Made in USA" or "Made in China".

I had Tasiting twice in Shenzhen. Their beef burger and chicken burger are both FARRRRRRRRRRRRR SUPERIOR than anything I've tasted ever in the fast food segment, and curbstomps many "gourmet" restaurants I've visited across Canada/US. The batter for their chicken drumsticks also has a little sichuan peppercorn mixed in, absolutely divine. Tasiting, please come to Vancouver!

No one in China says that the United States has overcapacity. In China, there are G7 products and companies everywhere. However, in the United States, Japan and Europe, when not a single Chinese vehicle can be seen on the roads, they start shouting that China has overcapacity.

Starbucks also failed in Australia. Also Australians are buying more and more Chinese EVs. Actually all Teslas in this country are made in China

McDonalds & Starbucks are way too overpriced. Makes sense.

After Nike/Adidas change to made in Vietnam, the quality is so bad..

i tried the chinese burger in china and they taste WAYYYYY better. the crispy chicken in the burger is big and juicy. the price is slightly cheaper than the McDonald ones. even mcdonalds in china had way more burger flavours and variety than in the US. yes US is a big fail. ZERO innovation!

As younger generation consumer like me from China, I used to buy Nike shoes a lot but what Nike did to joining in American authorities political propaganda campaign to spread fake narratives of Xinjiang I stopped to buy any products from Nike and turned to Anta, I didn't use Huawei before but since Google and all these American companies showed their loyalty to Washinton's delibrate campaign to crack down on Huawei I decided to buy Huawei and it turned out Huawei produce really premium quality products. Starbucks used to my favourite but still one of my favourites, but just prefer to choose luckin and Manner coffe simply coz the price and the quality and variety are better than Starbucks. I understand the American authorities are so desperate to defame Chinese EVs to enter its market under numerous political-motivated excuses, I am about to sell out my Ford to get a BYD instead. Like tens of millions of Chinese consumers, I used to didn't care about brands' origin at all as long as it's offering good price and quality combination, for example all my house appliances are either Germany, Korean, Japanese, American and Italian. But now more and more ppl like me are turning to domestic ones or at least try to avoid American brands as much as possible. Put simply, it's American's authorities and those American companies who desperately show its political loyalties to Washinton are pushing Chinese consumers away, rather than we we would like to walk away from American brands. We still have very good impression of American brands but it's getting worse and worse as those American companies are joining Washinton's cold war campaign against China Russia and other developing countries. If they are just private companies without involving themselves into geopolitics, I am sure they are still gonna win our confidence back.

Good for the Chinese they are adopting the Japanese, korean model where they have strong loyalty towards their own country brands

Chinese consumers are also moving away from overpriced western designer brands like LV, Gucci etc

It shocks me when WSJ did not add”but at what cost” in the end.

Luckin offers at a quarter of the price of Starbucks, to be exact.

ok McDonald's doppelganger in China also sells Coca-Cola and Pepsi

Great insight WSJ. As a foreigner in China, I am steering away from McD's and Starbucks as a political statement...

That Chinese brand burger tastes nothing like McDonald's. It's completely tailored to local tastes and preferences.

Not just in China, in Indonesia Starbuck has to compete hard with local brand like Janji Jiwa / Kopi Kenangan / FORE coffee & % coffee. In Thailand Starbuck compete with Amazon coffee (PTT group)

Wait, the same thing is happening in India. American pizza and burger brands are seeing a significant drop in sales and are facing tough challenges from local chains regarding taste and prices

I order luckin coffee everyday, no difference in quality but just a quarter price compare to Starbucks. Hope they can expand globally

I like the spin that Chinese preferring for more affordable and arguably absolutely equal in quality, products, is somehow "nationalistic. How about US regime under Biden, raising Chinese products by 100%? Is that not the US regime preferring US products? The move by the Chinese person preferring their local products is normal, especially when their products are more affordable to Chinese person's salary, similar to the fact that the same China products is also preferred throughout the world.

Making sure "Made in China" isn't in Chinese language

I support the local coffee, not Starbucks.

The labor cost of American products in China is very low, but their prices are the same as in the United States. They make a lot of money.

It's people's fault if they don't shop US brands

Forgot to write "In China" at the end

Not that surprising as we are now well within a generation in of a globalization market. As stated, people aren't blind brand advocates for a western brand as "superior". Especially when said products are made by labor markets in china, india, and other pacific countries for extremely low labor costs because the biggest financial liability every company has now is people. Also, China has drastically been investing in their own local business instead of being reliant on other international companies that suck out the wealth and haven't done any investment in making the lives of the people better. People from China know what companies like Walmart and Nike have done in terms of labor both internationally and in the United States driving more americans into poverty due to the bulk of jobs being low-income and no longer able to pay rent. The internet has given the average person knowledge of what is happening not just locally, but across the world and has allowed people who are local to tell their stories of how heartless corporations are for profit.

U.S. companies saw China as just a factory with a billion consumers. But China is more than that now. It is a strong competitor. The question is why American companies are not as competitive. The reason is simple, American brands became complacent and the costs of U.S. regulation is preventing smaller rivals within the U.S. from competing against established companies.

In the US too. My kids refuse now to go to McDonalds because of everything they read on TikTok about McDonalds being in Israel. They used to go all the time.

Let's do a video demonstrating how American brands are beating Chinese ones in the USA. Oh wait, it's just tariffs and bans.

Ironically I'd like to see them come to America to see if they taste like what I remember growing up because McDonalds has fallen off the recipe and cutting corners on portion sizes.

The nerve of Chinese companies dominating their own market.

Is anta's shoe made of quality? Any science into their athletic shoes?

I like it promoting local brands is good thing.monopoly on burger is bad.

In China, Apple should indigenize its name to Pingguo

Its almost like putting 100% tariffs on chinese goods to us was going to cause them to respond.

wasn't luckin coffee going through a scandal for faking their finances? Was that fake as well?

The editing of the first 20 seconds is very confusing. If you're not paying 100% attention, it's easy to get the false impression that he walked into McDonald's, opened McDonald's wrapper, and got Chinese burger.

This is call market diversity. They just want more options. Btw, this Chinese burger tastes surprisingly well at a cheaper price.

Actually，we Chinese people buy these Chinses brands just because of their lower price 🤣I think the people in the US also hate Apple's insane price

No discussion of quality differences, taste differences, or anything else? Fluff piece. The reporter didn't even answer his final question -- how are the fries and burgers?? Very frustrating!

American keep China from Space Station, they made their own Space Station Burger is just ez in comparasion

Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone..

I recently came across Li Ning (Chinese branded) basketball shoes and bought two pairs … even though they cost more than Nike, Adidas, NB, Puma etc in Australia… I was willing to pay a premium for them as they are value for money when you factor in quality, innovation and on court performance of these shoes. Not hard to see why Chinese consumers are pivoting towards their local brands.

So it's okay for China to be nationalist, but not the US...

After Western brands mass exodus from Russia, Chinese simply understood that those companies are unreliable to deal with. So they have decided to develop the local substitutes. So it was a really stupid decision that cost those brands not only the Russian market but had lasting consequences in other parts of the world as well.

Well, the so call American brands, you need to first understand where are those products made from. If those are made in china, or Vietnam, or wtever, whats the point of buying an american brand? The chicken is chinese, the battery is chinese, the screw is chinese, the staff serving you is chinese, the only American thing is the price and the pocket behind the product. That is a joke 😂 Although some products are really good, but in simple words, no more easy money. On top of that, you have American politicians screwing around and putting all tariffs and spreading misinformation. Plus non stop saying how threatening the china is, despite the usa has military presences all over the world 😂 selling weapons to countries, including isreal. Well…😂

Karma bites hard, good bye USA.

I have been free from Starbucks for years. I now support local businesses.

ooooh noooo chinese brands in china... not American brands in china anymore....

I'm Surprise, the store didn't get loot on a daily basis!!😂