Discussions regarding the acquisition of Häagen-Dazs' store business in China by the domestic lemon tea chain brand Niji appear to be serious. On May 28th, market information indicated that Niji is in negotiations to take over Häagen-Dazs' Chinese store operations. According to reports, a person close to Niji responded that it is not convenient to disclose details at this time and to await an official announcement from the involved parties. There is also information suggesting that as the news awaits formal confirmation from both sides, the possibility that the deal may not ultimately be concluded cannot be ruled out.

It is also noteworthy that the combination of Häagen-Dazs and Niji is somewhat unexpected. Data shows that Häagen-Dazs' average customer spending is as high as 54.81 yuan, while Niji's is 14.86 yuan.

Häagen-Dazs has been continuously contracting in China, reflecting its decline from its former pedestal in the Chinese market. Once regarded as the "Rolls-Royce of ice cream" in China and attracting large crowds, Häagen-Dazs' sales in China accounted for nearly 50% of its global business in 2017. However, with market changes, Häagen-Dazs'光环 has faded.

During the Q2 FY2025 earnings conference, General Mills Chairman and CEO Jeff Harmening disclosed that Häagen-Dazs experienced a double-digit decline in store traffic in China. Such statements have been made multiple times in General Mills' earnings meetings. Furthermore, Häagen-Dazs is shrinking in China. Data indicates that as of May 2026, Häagen-Dazs had 262 operating stores, whereas in 2019, the number exceeded 550 stores. Reports note that on May 21st, the Häagen-Dazs store at Ningbo MixC officially ceased operations. According to incomplete statistics, Häagen-Dazs has withdrawn from cities such as Nanning, Weifang, and Shijiazhuang, with cities like Taiyuan and Nanchang having only one remaining store each.

In contrast, as of May 2026, DQ had 1,833 stores in China. In 2025, Xu Weilun, CEO of DQ's parent company CFB Group, stated in a media interview that DQ plans to open 800 new stores in the next three years. Domestic brands are also on the rise. As of May 2026, Mr. Savage had 1,326 stores nationwide, with a net increase of nearly 900 stores in just over a year.

From this, it seems a conclusion can be drawn that the Chinese market still holds opportunities, but Häagen-Dazs' approach may be "outdated." Clearly, Niji believes it can lead Häagen-Dazs out of its困境.

Niji is a rapidly expanding hand-made lemon tea chain brand, with shareholders including ByteDance and Tencent. As of May 2026, Niji had 1,799 operating stores. Objectively, cases of foreign brands selling their Chinese businesses are increasing. For example, CITIC Capital became the controlling shareholder of McDonald's China, and Boyu Capital acquired a 60% stake in Starbucks' Chinese retail business.

This model has shown effectiveness. McDonald's China CEO Zhang Jiayin stated that after CITIC Capital took over, the number of McDonald's restaurants in China doubled, and a localized board allowed the Chinese team to have higher decision-making efficiency. However, it is important to note that the aforementioned acquisition cases involved investment institutions taking over, with relatively cautious transformation processes. For instance, after the joint venture, most of Starbucks China's executives remained in their positions.

It is worth watching whether Niji, which possesses its own operational闭环, taking control would bring more drastic changes to Häagen-Dazs.