Despite its success, Anta faces challenges as the prevailing perception is that Chinese products are cheaper or of lower quality. Photo: iStock
Nike and Adidas, with a drop in demand, are being challenged by the Chinese brand Anta
From humble beginnings to global ambitions: how Anta wants to become one of the leading players in the global sports equipment market.
In the late 1980s, when China’s economy was just opening up to the world, a determined high school student dropped out of school and headed to Beijing with 600 pairs of shoes. Ding Shizhong had them made in his relative’s factory and intended to sell them. With the earnings, he opened a workshop in which he began to produce footwear for other companies, writes the Croatian Index.
The business has evolved into the sports giant Anta Sports, a company that has built an impressive portfolio of international brands and aims to compete with giants Nike and Adidas. This is a goal that Ding clearly set for himself in 2005: “We don’t want to be China’s Nike, but the world’s Anta.”
Strong presence at home and first steps in the US
Although the Anta name is not yet widely known in the West, it has more than 10,000 stores in China and sponsors top athletes. In February, the company opened its first store in the United States, in prestigious Beverly Hills, Los Angeles.
Its global expansion, at a time when Donald Trump is trying to bring manufacturing back to the US with tariffs, shows how competitive Chinese supply chains have become.
Rise from the “shoe capital of the world”
Anta, which means “safe steps”, was founded in 1991 in Jinjiang City, southeast Fujian Province. The area quickly transformed from an agricultural to an industrial center – the “shoe capital of the world”.
Large companies such as Nike and Adidas also started investing in the region, which encouraged the development of specialized manufacturing clusters. By 2005, Fujian province alone produced nearly a fifth of the world’s footwear.
From subcontractor to global player
Anta initially produced cheap footwear for global brands, while at the same time building its own recognition on the domestic market. The company gradually realized that there is more value in its own brand than in the role of a subcontractor.
In 2007, Anta was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and raised a record 450 million dollars.
Other Chinese companies such as Xiaomi, DJI and BYD have followed a similar path.
Conquering the west through brand acquisitions
Today, Anta is targeting Western markets. It operates more than 12,000 stores in China and more than 460 overseas, with expansion plans primarily in Southeast Asia.
To overcome prejudices about the quality of Chinese products, the company adopted a strategy of acquisitions:
- it acquired the rights to the Fila brand in China,
- in 2019 it bought Amer Sports (owner of the Arc’teryx and Salomon brands),
- owns Wilson Sporting Goods,
- acquired a 29% stake in Puma this year.
Challenges of global recognition
Despite its success, Anta faces challenges as the prevailing perception is that Chinese products are cheaper or of lower quality. At the same time, there are political tensions between China and the West, and China needs stronger global ambassadors.
Although working with stars like Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving, Anta has yet to have a partnership comparable to the historic collaboration between Nike and Michael Jordan.
Opportunity in difficult competition
Ante’s rise comes at a time when competitors are struggling. Nike and Adidas are grappling with falling demand and the fallout from tariffs. Meanwhile, China is rapidly introducing robotization into manufacturing, further increasing efficiency and competitiveness.
The opening of the Beverly Hills store shows Ante’s ambitions in the US market, but the company admits it still has a long way to go.
“We are aware of the competition, but the global sports equipment market is not a game where only one can win. We are sure that sports enthusiasts will recognize the innovation and value of the Anta brand,” the company announced.
