Mixue Ice Cream & Tea's recruitment of theme park professionals with salaries starting at RMB 11,000 has ignited industry speculation about the beverage giant's potential entry into branded entertainment, leveraging its strong IP ecosystem and financial dominance in China's competitive tea market.
Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, China's dominant tea beverage chain, has set the industry abuzz with its recent recruitment of multiple theme park–related positions in Zhengzhou, offering competitive salaries that suggest the company may be preparing to launch its own branded amusement park experience.
The job listings, posted on BOSS Zhipin on February 3, 2026, reveal an unusually comprehensive hiring push for theme park roles. Open positions include Theme Park Content Writer (RMB 12,000–20,000 per month, approximately USD 1,670–2,780), responsible for story worldbuilding and content optimization; Theme Park Performance Coordinator (RMB 11,000–20,000 / USD 1,530–2,780), overseeing the planning and integration of live shows; Theme Park Engineering Manager (RMB 12,000–24,000 / USD 1,670–3,330), in charge of project planning and construction; and Theme Park Merchandise Coordinator (RMB 11,000–20,000 / USD 1,530–2,780), responsible for end-to-end IP merchandise operations.
The highly specialized nature of these roles has fueled speculation that Mixue is planning to develop its own branded theme park, marking a significant expansion beyond its core beverage business.
Building Blocks for Entertainment Expansion
Mixue appears well-positioned for such an ambitious venture, having steadily built a robust intellectual property ecosystem over recent years. The company's original animated series "Snow King Arrives!" launched in 2023 to strong ratings and viewership, followed by "Snow King: Fantasy Sand Continent" in 2024. These productions have been complemented by self-produced short dramas on Douyin that have attracted significant traffic and engagement.
Beyond digital content, Mixue has strengthened emotional connections with consumers through large-scale snow sculpture installations, music festivals, Snow King parades, and meme-driven social media campaigns. The company has also actively monetized its IP through merchandise, opening flagship stores selling branded products in major cities including Zhengzhou, Chengdu, and Hangzhou over the past year.
Financial Strength to Support Expansion
Mixue's financial position provides a solid foundation for potential theme park development. In the first half of 2025, the company was the only listed tea beverage brand in China to surpass RMB 10 billion (approximately USD 1.39 billion) in revenue, exceeding the combined revenues of Chagee (RMB 6.73 billion / USD 935 million), Guming (RMB 5.66 billion / USD 786 million), and ChaBaiDao (RMB 2.50 billion / USD 347 million).
Despite its massive revenue base, Mixue still posted a 39.32% revenue growth rate, ranking second among listed peers. In terms of profitability, Mixue led the sector with RMB 2.72 billion in net profit (approximately USD 378 million), up 44.06% year-on-year—again second-fastest in growth—while Guming posted the highest growth rate at 119.78%.
Industry Context and Implications
The potential move into themed entertainment represents a natural evolution for Mixue, which has already demonstrated success in building emotional connections with consumers through its IP-driven marketing initiatives. The company's ability to create engaging content and merchandise suggests it has the creative foundation necessary for theme park development.
If Mixue proceeds with theme park plans, it would join a growing trend of Chinese consumer brands expanding into experiential entertainment. The move could potentially reshape how beverage chains engage with customers, moving beyond traditional retail to create immersive brand experiences that deepen customer loyalty and open new revenue streams.
What's Next?
While Mixue has not officially confirmed theme park development plans, the targeted nature of these job postings and the company's existing IP infrastructure suggest serious consideration of this expansion. Industry observers will be watching closely for additional hiring announcements, potential partnerships with theme park developers, or official statements from Mixue regarding its entertainment ambitions.
The coming months will likely reveal whether these theme park roles represent the beginning of a major strategic shift for Mixue or simply an expansion of its existing experiential marketing efforts. Either way, the company's aggressive hiring in this space signals its continued evolution from a beverage retailer into a comprehensive lifestyle brand with entertainment aspirations.
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