ed UK-based retailing company, Mogic, as part of its plan to strengthen its presence in the European market, and it has opened its first store in Malaysia, ahead of further growth in Southeast Asia.  According to Pop Mart’s global president Justin Moon, the company started expanding internationally in 2019, and did not slow down its efforts during the pandemic. “For Southeast Asia, we opened our first store in Singapore’s Funan two years ago. With the economy recovering rapidly post-pandemic, we believe it was timely for us to expand our footprint into Malaysia,” he told Inside Retail. Why Pavilion KL? When it comes to shopping malls in Malaysia, Pavilion KL was the brand’s top choice for its first physical store, as the centre’s prime location within the oldest and most popular shopping belt coupled with its strong tenant mix, made it the ideal choice. The 146 sqm (1,569 sq ft) space features  colour-changing LED lights on the doors and visually attractive displays.  “As one enters the store, there are many experiential touchpoints, the diorama displays, a Mega collection wall that showcases the high-end collectibles, and we have also created a photo-op corner for fans to snap photographs while shopping at our store,” Moon said. It also features several exclusive items that have never been sold out of China before, as well as limited-edition products, such as the Hirono Unknown Journey sculptures, of which there are only 200 pieces globally. Expansion on the cards The company is in the process of evaluating high traffic malls with suitable retail space within the Klang Valley in Malaysia for expansion. Moon said the company is hoping to bring the Pop Mart experience to other Malaysian states, such as Penang and Melaka, in the future. “Malaysia continues to be our focus of business expansion in Southeast Asia for now, as there are states and locations that we are exploring. There are several countries in the pipeline and we will announce which ones once the plan is firmed up,” he added. Moon sees Southeast Asia as a unique market that is home to well-travelled consumers  who are receptive to new brands, products and collectibles from both western and eastern countries.   “Our IPs come in various looks – from cutesy pouty lips Molly, mischievous Labubu, mysterious and multifaceted Skullpanda to an all-moody Hirono – and they represent our customers in some way or another, regardless of their demographic or cultural differences,” he explained. In addition to its own designs, Pop Mart has evergreen characters from Disney, Sanrio, Warner Bros and other global entertainment companies, and frequently collaborates with high-profile artists and brands, such as Philip Colbert, Mika Ninagawa, Moncler, Ray Ban, Uniqlo and KFC, to name a few. It recently unveiled a collaboration with Chinese artist Yi Ran, which saw the company create the so-called Mega Space Molly 1000 % Burning Fire, which was made entirely in porcelain and in a limited run of just 160 pieces. “We take an adaptive localisation approach, including localisation of management methods, manpower and products. We have several social media platforms run by local teams that engage local key opinion leaders to create content and connect to specific audiences locally,” Moon elaborated. The sky’s the limit Moon reiterated that Pop Mart is looking to grow its offline presence with the opening of physical stores in suitable locations. It is also working to deploy Roboshops, its term for cashless vending machines. “Customers will have access to our products 24/7, as these machines can dispense up to 380 blind boxes at one load. We also have a digital store on Malaysia’s Shopee for those who prefer online shopping,” he explained. Fans of the Pop Mart brand will be delighted to hear that the company is planning to showcase a toy show in Southeast Asia soon. Moon said details will be revealed once the plan is firmed up.