Can sportswear brand Li Ning take on Starbucks, Luckin after registering its ‘Ning Coffee’ trademark in China?
- As of March 31, Li Ning had more points of sale in China than Starbucks, and was within reach of Luckin Coffee’s outlet network
- Li Ning doesn’t stand much of a chance if it competes with professional coffee brands head-on, analyst says
According to the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), Li Ning Sports (Shanghai), a subsidiary of the company, applied for the trademark under the services category to provide food, drink and temporary accommodation on April 15. The application is currently being reviewed by the authority’s trademark office.
“Li Ning has a broad network of stores in mainland China. It can use its existing network to offer an addition of a lifestyle experience for its consumers. This is a very different strategy versus starting a coffee chain,” said Jason Yu, general manager of Kartar Worldpanel Greater China.
There was a lot of competition in the Chinese coffee market and Li Ning will need to find its competitive edge if it wants to take on other major coffee brands, Yu said. “If Li Ning competes with other professional coffee brands head-on, it doesn’t stand much of a chance,” he added.