Chinese Investment in Brazil Pivots From Power Dams to Ice Cream, Courting Consumers

Employees of Chinese ice cream and beverage chain Mixue check freshly prepared drinks at the company's first Brazilian store ahead of its opening to the public, marking the brand's arrival in South America amid a fresh tide of Chinese investment, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, April 9, 2026. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini

By Luciana Magalhaes

For Chinese ice cream and beverage chain Mixue, which already has more stores than Starbucks or McDonald’s, a cheerful snowman mascot on Sao Paulo’s most famous avenue signals a new phase of its global expansion.

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

Detected IP: ...