In light of growing trade tensions with the United States and the European Union, as well as heightened competition in the domestic market, Chinese companies are actively seeking new destinations for international expansion. Notably, major brands from the tertiary sector—particularly those in internet services and e-commerce—are targeting new consumer bases in various regions across the globe.
Within this context, Brazil has emerged as one of the most promising destinations. The total value of bilateral trade between China and Brazil has nearly doubled over the past decade. In addition, Chinese e-commerce giants have shown increasing interest in the South American country. According to El País, Meituan, China’s leading food delivery company, announced a USD 1 billion investment to establish operations in Brazil. Mixue, a well-known tea and dessert chain considered one of the largest globally in its category, expressed its intention to hire thousands of Brazilian workers. Meanwhile, the social media platform TikTok launched its online shopping feature in Brazil this past May.
Although success in the Brazilian market cannot be guaranteed, several Chinese companies have already begun operating in the country. Didi, the ride-hailing company known for operating as Uber’s counterpart in China, is one of the major transportation service providers in Brazil. Temu, the international division of Chinese e-commerce giant Pinduoduo, began selling products to Brazilian consumers last year.
