SHANGHAI - The Mister Donut chain on Monday opened a new store in Shanghai, reentering the mainland Chinese market after its withdrawal in 2019 due to sluggish customer traffic and rising labor costs.
Duskin Co., the Japanese operator of the U.S.-founded donut chain, said it aims to launch 30 outlets in Shanghai and nearby areas by the end of 2029.
More than 100 customers lined up before the opening of the new store amid a deflationary trend in the world's second-largest economy, where relatively affordable Japanese restaurants are gaining popularity.
The new takeout-only outlet is located at a major shopping mall and sells a total of 25 items, each priced at 13 to 16 yuan ($1.9 to $2.4), including a banana-flavored Pon De Ring donut available exclusively in Shanghai.
Duskin President Hiroyuki Okubo, who attended the store's opening ceremony, told reporters, "We have decided to make a fresh foray into China as its sweets market has matured and we managed to find a good local partner."
Lu Gaozhan, 28, who has been a Mister Donut fan since childhood, said after buying a set of 10 donuts, "I enjoyed eating (Mister Donut) items when I traveled to Japan even after its withdrawal from China. Today I will have them with my girlfriend."
The first Mister Donut shop in China opened in Shanghai in 2000, with the chain later expanding to Hangzhou, the capital of neighboring Zhejiang Province. At its peak, there were 25 outlets in mainland China.
Duskin operates Mister Donut stores in six other overseas markets, including Hong Kong, Taiwan and some Southeast Asian nations.
