Pop Mart is moving quickly to expand in Canada after stronger-than-expected demand at its early stores, with the global character-based entertainment company confirming that it now has 10 Canadian leases signed or committed.
The momentum was visible in downtown Toronto over the Canada Day weekend. Pop Mart opened its new CF Toronto Eaton Centre store on Friday, July 3, and when Retail Insider visited the following day, customers were lined up along the mall corridor waiting to enter.
The retailer, known for collectible designer toys and character IP including Labubu and The Monsters, entered Canada with its first permanent store at CF Richmond Centre in Metro Vancouver. Consumer response has since exceeded initial expectations, creating early product allocation pressure and reinforcing Canada as a priority market.
“Canadian consumers have really shown out for Pop Mart, and we are truly humbled by their support,” said Valen Tam, Head of Real Estate for Pop Mart in Canada. “It is not easy to enter a new national market, but we have seen performance exceeding initial expectations at our physical stores, to the point of causing early allocation issues.”
Tam said the company is working to bring more of its characters and products within reach of Canadians as it builds out a larger national network.
The Canadian growth comes as Pop Mart continues to expand globally. The company reported revenue of RMB 37.12 billion in 2025, up 184.7 per cent year-over-year, with international markets becoming an increasingly important part of the business. The Americas have emerged as a major growth region for Pop Mart as the company expands its physical store network and builds the global reach of its character portfolio.
For Canada, Tam said the opportunity is rooted in both consumer response and the country’s cultural makeup.
“By its very essence, Canada is a perfect home for Pop Mart,” he said. “It is a melting pot of cultures and its societal composition mirrors the many different characters in the Pop Mart collection who have come together under one umbrella, despite each having very distinct appearances, backgrounds, aspirations and stories.”
Premium Shopping Centres Anchor the Canadian Strategy
Pop Mart’s Canadian expansion is being shaped around premium shopping centres, where the company says its design standards and experiential approach can be fully expressed.
Cadillac Fairview has played a notable role in the brand’s early growth in Canada. Pop Mart opened its first Canadian store at CF Richmond Centre, while the new CF Toronto Eaton Centre location places the company in one of the country’s highest-profile urban shopping destinations.
“The people there are what has made them a pleasure to partner with,” said Tam of Cadillac Fairview. “They have excellent leadership top-down who have been nothing but communicative, supportive and understanding.”
Tam said Cadillac Fairview was one of the first Canadian landlords to proactively partner with Pop Mart, a relationship that remains important as the company adds locations.
“We opened our very first Canadian store at CF Richmond Centre,” he said. “As our landlord partner there, Cadillac Fairview was one of the first Canadian landlords to proactively partner with us, which is something we will always appreciate and hold dear. We are looking forward to further developing the relationship.”
Pop Mart’s Canadian real estate rollout is being supported by Aurora Retail Group, whose Co-CEO Jeff Berkowitz has been involved in representing the brand as it expands into major Canadian shopping centres.
For Pop Mart, real estate is closely tied to brand execution. At CF Toronto Eaton Centre, the store uses illuminated perimeter displays, central character installations, digital screens and changing product presentations to create a highly visual environment around the company’s different IP.
During Retail Insider’s visit, a prominent window installation featured MEGA SPACE MOLLY, while a central in-store display highlighted The Monsters’ FIFA World Cup 26 collaboration. Labubu plush characters were also prominently merchandised near the cashier and throughout the store.
Tam said Pop Mart follows strict global standards around store design, lighting, millwork and visual merchandising.
“We uphold a very strict global design standard at Pop Mart,” he said. “We are meticulous with our store design, lighting, millwork and visual merchandising. Therefore, premium shopping centres, where this is expected of retailers, are natural homes for us.”
Design Standards Shape Site Selection
Pop Mart’s site selection process is driven by more than market demand. Tam said each location must support the company’s design requirements and allow for the type of customer journey the brand wants to create.
“When selecting store locations, we evaluate by ensuring the space conforms to our design standards and has a layout that lends itself toward a design which can deliver the kind of unobstructive customer journey we strive to deliver,” said Tam.
The same thinking informs how Pop Mart approaches flagships. While standard locations must meet the company’s global design system, flagship stores give the brand room to create more localized and ambitious retail environments.
“Flagship stores give us an opportunity to go above and beyond,” said Tam. “We step outside our conventional boundaries to amalgamate the cultures of the block, the city and Pop Mart into a re-imagined, one-of-a-kind unique design expression.”
10 Canadian Leases Signed or Committed
Tam confirmed that Pop Mart has 10 Canadian leases signed or committed as part of its expansion strategy.
The company is not yet providing a long-term store count target for Canada, although Tam said early support suggests significant runway.
“I can’t provide an estimate right this minute, but seeing the support from the market so far, it looks like we might just have to be everywhere,” he said. “Jokes aside, our vision is not fixated on the quantity of stores but the quality of each. We want to build only stores that we can be proud of, and then maintain consistent and joyous consumer experiences.”
Tam said a primary goal is to “drastically increase Canadians’ accessibility” to Pop Mart.
That could eventually take the company into multiple regions across the country. Tam said Pop Mart wants to be in every province, while acknowledging that growth will depend on the availability of suitable real estate.
Quebec, the GTA and Vancouver Eyed for Growth
Quebec is expected to play a meaningful role in Pop Mart’s Canadian strategy.
“Absolutely,” said Tam when asked whether Quebec will be part of the company’s growth plans. “Quebec is beautiful and the home of incredible culture. We are already educating ourselves and prepping to enter the market with the help of our global team and partners. It is a critical market for us, and not an endeavour we are taking lightly.”
The Greater Toronto Area is also being evaluated for additional opportunities. Pop Mart already has a presence at Toronto Premium Outlets and now at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, while Tam said the wider region could support more stores.
“The GTA is a sprawling metropolis and we would be remiss not to look hard at each of the many municipalities that comprise it,” he said. “We are actively working with our landlord partners to explore opportunities.”
Greater Vancouver remains another priority. Pop Mart opened two of its earliest Canadian stores in the region, where the brand saw strong consumer response from the outset.
“Two of our earliest stores opened in Greater Vancouver, and to astounding support,” said Tam. “We are still far from serving Vancouver well at the moment and are actively measuring opportunities.”
Tam said the company is willing to look broadly across the country as opportunities emerge.
“We will go wherever our incredible Canadian landlords take us,” he said. “We want to be in every province, but everything is subject to availability.”
Labubu Opens the Door to a Larger Character Universe
Pop Mart’s Canadian growth is taking place as Labubu has become one of the most recognizable collectible characters globally.
Labubu, part of The Monsters character universe created by artist Kasing Lung, has helped bring Pop Mart to a wider audience through plush toys, collectible figures, social media visibility and collaborations. Pop Mart and Sony Pictures are also developing a Labubu feature film, extending the character’s reach further into entertainment.
Tam said Labubu has become a globally recognized icon, while emphasizing that Canadian interest extends well beyond a single character.
“The rest of our characters have all seen incredible support in Canada as well, certainly an ode to how diverse the Canadian populace is,” he said. “We invite customers to come see our stores or surf our many digital platforms to learn more about each.”
That breadth was visible at CF Toronto Eaton Centre. The store’s mix of MEGA SPACE MOLLY, Labubu and other character worlds, along with the prominent FIFA World Cup 26-themed The Monsters installation, illustrated how Pop Mart uses rotating visual presentations and partnerships to encourage discovery across its broader portfolio.
Tam described Pop Mart as a pop culture entertainment company, with stores acting as physical gateways into its character worlds.
“Behind every character and product line is a heartfelt story and the passionate brush strokes of their artists,” he said. “There is genuine emotion that is hemmed into every design, and as time grows, the characters’ stories develop alongside the customer.”
Stores Built for Discovery and Repeat Visits
Experiential retail is integral to Pop Mart’s store strategy.
Tam said the company’s visual merchandising and operations teams work to create a thematic journey in stores, guiding customers from one character to the next. The approach is designed to encourage discovery and give consumers reasons to return as assortments and presentations evolve.
“At our stores, my colleagues in VM and operations work hard to lay out a thematic journey that takes our consumers from one character to the next,” he said.
The CF Toronto Eaton Centre store offered a clear example during Retail Insider’s visit. Product was presented through a mix of wall displays, central fixtures, character installations and digital content, while controlled entry helped manage the flow of customers into the space during the opening weekend.
Digital engagement also plays a central role. Social media has helped build awareness around characters such as Labubu, while Pop Mart’s online platforms keep consumers connected to product updates and brand activity between store visits.
“Online engagement works hand-in-hand with our physical stores,” said Tam. “While our stores deliver an irreplaceable in-person experience, our digital platforms provide customers with timely updates and round-the-clock access to Pop Mart.”
Robo Shops, Activations and Larger Concepts Could Follow
Pop Mart’s Canadian growth could eventually extend beyond traditional stores.
The company operates Robo Shops and other formats internationally, and Tam said Canada could see additional concepts as the market develops.
“We are in the infancy stage of Pop Mart in Canada, but most people do not know that our founder and CEO, as well as many of our colleagues, have worked for over 15 years to bring Pop Mart to its current form,” said Tam. “We have so many ideas and so many learnings that we cannot wait to bring to the Canadian market.”
The company is also looking at opportunities for Canadian-exclusive merchandise, artist partnerships, collaborations, activations and events.
“Our president Larry, the IP team and marketing team are looking into exclusive artist partnerships, collaborations and activations,” said Tam. “They are meticulous in their work and these processes do take some time to set up, but we cannot wait to tell you more down the road.”
Larger-format concepts or flagship destinations could eventually arrive in Canada as well. Tam did not provide specifics, but when asked whether Canadian consumers could see concepts similar to larger destinations found in other markets, he indicated the possibility may be closer than expected.
“I cannot reveal anything yet but they may be coming much sooner than not,” he said.
Future store sizes will vary depending on the market and real estate availability.
Building a Long-Term Canadian Presence
Looking ahead five years, Tam said success in Canada will be measured by more than store count.
The goal, he said, is to create stores that generate excitement for consumers while building a sustainable operating culture for Pop Mart’s teams.
“If we are able to keep lighting up the faces of Canadians when they see our stores or characters, if we are able to keep bringing smiles and laughter into their lives, and if we are able to enrich the lives of not just our customers but also our unsung heroes, our staff on the frontlines and in the backrooms, then it would all be a worthwhile success to us,” said Tam.
He added that Pop Mart will continue reinvesting in its characters and brand while pursuing further innovation.
For Canadian shopping centres, the expansion brings another fast-growing international concept into the premium mall landscape. For Pop Mart, the early response suggests there is room to build a considerably larger network.
And at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, where customers were still lined up to enter on the store’s second day of operation, the next phase of that growth was already visible.
Is this a popup store. It looks very temporary and low end. Disappointing.