Tapping into China's Great Outdoors - Matthew Jung of Jack Wolfskin
February 10, 2023
Recreational camping used to be a niche in China, but now it's become a bit of a rage. The China outdoor market reached $60 billion in 2018 and is expected to hit $100 billion by 2025. By all estimates, around 100 million Chinese go camping every year, which is a small number relevant to the population, but that's a higher number than the 40 million Americans who go camping!
What's causing the sudden rise in interest for camping?
To discuss this, we have industry veteran Matthew Jung, General Manager Greater China for German outdoor brand, Jack Wolfskin. Mathew, or as his friends call him, MJ, has been in Asia for close to 25 years, first starting in the hotel industry at Starwood in Hong Kong, before he moved to Taiwan with Nike where he was Marketing Director. He then moved to Shanghai in 2010 with Nike and later to the Converse brand in 2018, where he was VP and General Manager. MJ later joined Jack Wolfskin in January 2022.
Recreational camping used to be a niche in China, but now it's become a bit of a rage. The China outdoor market reached $60 billion in 2018 and is expected to hit $100 billion by 2025. By all estimates, around 100 million Chinese go camping every year, which is a small number relevant to the population, but that's a higher number than the 40 million Americans who go camping!
What's causing the sudden rise in interest in camping?
To discuss this, we have industry veteran Matthew Jung, General Manager Greater China for the German outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin. Mathew, or as his friends call him, MJ, has been in Asia for close to 25 years, first starting in the hotel industry at Starwood in Hong Kong, before he moved to Taiwan with Nike where he was Marketing Director. He then moved to Shanghai in 2010 with Nike and later moved to the Converse brand in 2018, where he was VP and General Manager. MJ later joined Jack Wolfskin in January 2022.
1. MJ's journey to Asia through basketball and a one-way ticket
2. How long have you stayed relevant and what makes you stay in China?
3. How did you make the Converse brand successful in China?
4. Converse: a pioneer in inclusion with ShanghaiPride
5. What's made camping a thing in China, and where is Wolfskin fit in?
6. What's Wolfskin's plan?
7. What does outdoor mean for Chinese consumers?
8. Will there be any product innovation specifically for China in the outdoor category?
9. Do foreign brands still have an opportunity in this category or will they lose to the local competitors?
10. Any recommendations to get a cool career path like MJ's? One word: sacrifice
11. A/B Test: Basketball, Victoria Harbor & Chicago Deep Dish
MJ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjfor3/
For everything ShanghaiZhan: http://zhanstation.com/
ShanghaiZhan Theme Music: by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac
Bryce on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/
What's causing the sudden rise in interest in camping?
To discuss this, we have industry veteran Matthew Jung, General Manager Greater China for the German outdoor brand Jack Wolfskin. Mathew, or as his friends call him, MJ, has been in Asia for close to 25 years, first starting in the hotel industry at Starwood in Hong Kong, before he moved to Taiwan with Nike where he was Marketing Director. He then moved to Shanghai in 2010 with Nike and later moved to the Converse brand in 2018, where he was VP and General Manager. MJ later joined Jack Wolfskin in January 2022.
1. MJ's journey to Asia through basketball and a one-way ticket
2. How long have you stayed relevant and what makes you stay in China?
3. How did you make the Converse brand successful in China?
4. Converse: a pioneer in inclusion with ShanghaiPride
5. What's made camping a thing in China, and where is Wolfskin fit in?
6. What's Wolfskin's plan?
7. What does outdoor mean for Chinese consumers?
8. Will there be any product innovation specifically for China in the outdoor category?
9. Do foreign brands still have an opportunity in this category or will they lose to the local competitors?
10. Any recommendations to get a cool career path like MJ's? One word: sacrifice
11. A/B Test: Basketball, Victoria Harbor & Chicago Deep Dish
MJ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjfor3/
For everything ShanghaiZhan: http://zhanstation.com/
ShanghaiZhan Theme Music: by Bryce Whitwam
https://soundcloud.com/bryce-r-whitwam/bad-cough-syrup?si=cfb30a6e0c0e459da78b912bf60825ac
Bryce on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brycewhitwam/
Ali on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alikazmi/