Nanjing's consumer potential was effectively stimulated in 2025, with the introduction of new brand debuts playing a significant role. The city welcomed 463 first-time store openings throughout the year, setting a new historical record. In recent years, both the quantity and quality of new brand entries in Nanjing have shown simultaneous improvement and accelerated clustering, characterized by explosive growth in numbers and high-end leadership in caliber. The city has introduced over 1,500 new brand debuts in recent years, including 8 global first stores, 4 Asian first stores, and 86 China first stores. More than 200 well-known overseas brands have opened stores in the city for the first time, gathering over 95% of international top-tier brands.

Policy support has driven the introduction of high-caliber new brand debuts. Building on the continued implementation of the 2022 debut store policy, Nanjing introduced the "Several Measures to Promote First-Economy Development" in May 2025. Following the new policy, the proportion of high-end brand debuts increased. Since the policy's announcement, 276 new brand debuts have been introduced, including high-caliber entries such as Louis Vuitton's beauty products and MINISO SPACE global first store. The monthly average growth rate for new brand introductions exceeded 50%. The brand hierarchy has been optimized, with increased proportions of national first stores and Jiangsu province first stores.

Nanjing's new brand introductions present a pattern of "core business district clustering and emerging area growth." Various commercial districts and streets have different focuses in hosting new brand debuts, making them key tools for differentiated competition. In recent years, Nanjing has established landmark commercial venues such as JLC Jinling Zhonghuan, Xuanwu Garden City, and Nanjing Darongcheng, while creating over ten characteristic streets including Jinling STYLE, Xicheng Yeweiyang, Nanhu Memory, and Yihe Road, providing excellent space for the development of the first economy.

Xinjiekou, known as China's premier commercial district, primarily hosts national and regional high-end brands, making it the area with the highest caliber of new brand debuts in Nanjing. For example, Deji Plaza introduced Louis Vuitton's first global perfume and cosmetics boutique, VALENTINO's first global color boutique, and CAROLINA HERRERA's first Asian flagship store. The cluster of new brand debuts has reinforced customers' perception of Deji Plaza as a "fashion frontier" and "high-traffic check-in destination," generating strong buzz and a "siphoning effect" that attracts consumers nationwide, expanding the boundaries of urban consumption.

Emerging commercial areas focus on trendy characteristics when introducing new brand debuts. Areas represented by Baijia Lake emphasize trendiness and lifestyle when hosting new brand entries. For instance, Jingfeng Center specializes in trendy dining and specialty retail debuts, hosting the first national "Big Stupid Dog House" bakery and merchandise store, and national first exhibitions for Butter Bear and Line Puppy, becoming a gathering spot for young people.

Historical and cultural blocks like Mendong and Xinanli combine new brand debuts with culture, creativity, and unique experiences, achieving mutual empowerment between commerce and cultural tourism. According to statistics, from January to October 2025, food and beverage establishments accounted for 174 (44.73%) of Nanjing's new brand introductions, while retail accounted for 171 (43.96%). These two sectors dominated absolutely, collectively contributing 88.7% market share.

Industry experts indicate that the data shows strong investment intention among new brand debuts. As China's top city in per capita retail consumption, Nanjing's consumers increasingly pursue quality living and personalized consumption, allowing food, beverage, and retail debuts to precisely capture consumer demand. Looking ahead to 2026, Nanjing merchants will continue embracing "new consumption, new scenarios, and new experiences" through new brand introductions.