Global variety store Miniso will launch a flagship at American Dream centered entirely on the world of Sanrio.

The location is scheduled to open in May at the megamall. It is Miniso’s first U.S. shop inspired by the company behind characters like Hello Kitty, Aggretsuko and My Melody.

Founded 11 years ago in China, Miniso has more than 5,800 stores worldwide. It sells a variety of design-led lifestyle products, such as toys, cosmetics, stationary and kitchenware.

The upcoming Meadowlands store is part of a strategic move to expand intellectual property (IP) collaborations within the U.S. market.

Over the past year, Miniso introduced several brand tie-ups in North America. It found creatively integrating the collaborations – including with Snoopy, Barbie and Care Bears – into product and store design enhanced the shopping experience and promoted sales growth.

‘Huge strides’

Bella Tu is general manager of Miniso overseas directly operated markets and vice president. “Our vision is to become the world’s leading IP design retail group and North America has a vital part to play in achieving this,” she said. “We’ve made huge strides in this market thanks to our strategic IP collaborations, innovative store initiatives, and the amazing support we’ve received from local consumers.”

“In the remainder of 2024, we are looking forward to opening our American Dream Mall New Jersey flagship, as well as stores in more key locations such as Santa Monica, Coronado, Miami Beach, and Burlington,” Tu said.

“We believe North American growth can act as a catalyst for our continued global expansion, with our aim to add 550-650 new stores worldwide by year-end to bring MINISO’s Joy Philosophy to even more consumers,” she added.

The brand’s arrival at American Dream follows a strong 2023. Last year, Miniso recorded $1.9 billion in revenue, a year-over-year increase of 34.9% led by North American sales.

According to the company, the North American market’s 172 stores posted $160 million total revenue for the year. That surpassed the brand’s performance in all other global markets, excluding China. Miniso has also accelerated its store expansion efforts in North America, venturing into key business districts in major cities.

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