After being acquired by Anta, this domestic brand aims to become the "No. 1 in yoga" | Exclusive interview by 36Kr
Author | Xie Yunzi
Editor | Zheng Huaizhou
Cover Source | Brand's official Weibo
Due to an acquisition, a domestic yoga brand has gained more market attention.
In October 2023, Anta Sports issued an announcement stating that an affiliated company under it had successfully acquired 75.13% of the shares of MAIA ACTIVE (Maiya, hereinafter referred to as MAIA).
Founded in 2016, MAIA is a domestic brand that designs yoga clothing specifically for Asian women. According to previous reports, in 2022, the sales volume of MAIA's flagship product, the "Waist Master Pants", exceeded 300,000 pieces. Another official forecast previously showed that in that year, MAIA's total platform sales were approximately 500 million yuan.
However, during the process of integrating online and offline operations, MAIA encountered bottlenecks and chose to embrace Anta for more comprehensive development.
In December 2023, the founder of MAIA posted on WeChat Moments, saying, "I will step down from the actual work of MAIA in the next month, but will continue to support MAIA as a shareholder and founder."
In May of the following year, Zhao Guangxun, the former vice - president of retail at Anta Group, was appointed as the brand president of MAIA ACTIVE and reports directly to Xu Yang, the CEO of Anta Group's professional sports division and the person - in - charge of the Anta main brand. In Anta Sports' semi - annual report for 2024, MAIA also appeared in the category of "All Other Brands" of the group.
Through this series of changes, the actual control of MAIA was successfully transferred. Anta's acquisition of MAIA also demonstrates its determination to strengthen its position in the female - specific market segment.
"It is commonly believed that there will be cultural conflicts when a brand is acquired by a large group. However, the integration of MAIA and Anta has been quite natural and smoother than expected."
Zhao Guangxun is from South Korea and has nearly 25 years of management experience in the sports apparel industry. Before joining Anta, he worked at E.Land Group and led the New Balance China region to achieve a thirty - fold increase in performance. In Zhao Guangxun's view, he prefers the corporate culture of Anta Group, believing that the company's internal operations are more efficient and the management is relatively flat.
Therefore, after taking up the position of the new president, Zhao Guangxun hopes to maintain MAIA's original brand tone as much as possible and try to maintain a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere within the company during the strategic adjustment process.
"There is no PPT culture in our meetings."
In MAIA's Shanghai headquarters, Zhao Guangxun's office is more like a large meeting room. There is a sign similar to that of Starbucks hanging at the door of his office, except that the sign says a pun on his English name, "Stevebucks". Compared with boring meetings, he hopes that people will come to him for coffee and casual chats.
When asked whether he would communicate with MAIA's founder, Zhao Guangxun told 36Kr, "We will communicate. The former founder also visits the stores and occasionally gives some suggestions. She thinks the stores have changed a lot and likes these changes very much."
During the more than one - year period since Zhao Guangxun took over as the president, MAIA has also undergone significant changes.
Not long ago, in May, MAIA ACTIVE officially announced the rising star Yu Shuxin as its brand spokesperson, which more concretely embodies the image of MAIA's "High - energy Girls" - that is, "high energy, high emotional value, and high sense of deservingness".
Meanwhile, MAIA has also completed a series of brand sorting and reshaping, continuously developed offline stores, and is moving towards higher goals.
Zhao Guangxun hopes that MAIA can become the first brand that comes to people's minds when they think of yoga in the Chinese market, or even in the Asian market. However, judging from the current performance in the secondary market, Lululemon, which ranks first in the yoga market, is also facing a slowdown in growth. In the wave of consumption segmentation, it remains to be seen when MAIA, which is seeking brand upgrading, can achieve its development blueprint of becoming "Number One in Asia".
The following is an interview between 36Kr and Zhao Guangxun, the brand president of MAIA ACTIVE, with some omissions.
Zhao Guangxun, the brand president of MAIA ACTIVE
Cut SKUs, Open Large Stores, and Focus on Yoga
36Kr: When you became the new president of MAIA in May last year, what was the development situation of this brand?
Zhao Guangxun: MAIA's products have a good reputation. However, it encountered bottlenecks during the transformation from online to offline. Anta Group has rich offline retail experience. After we (Anta Group) acquired MAIA in October 2023, we first sorted out the brand strategy, and I was involved in the whole process. After I took up the position of the brand president of MAIA ACTIVE in May last year, I advanced the plan comprehensively as originally planned.
36Kr: What specific adjustments has MAIA made?
Zhao Guangxun: We mainly promoted three aspects of work: The first step was to sort out the brand strategy. Our future goal is to focus on the mid - to high - end market, which is a change in strategic positioning.
The second was to integrate the product line and focus more on yoga. We cut about 10% - 15% of non - core SKUs, such as non - yoga products like outdoor jackets. By the end of the third quarter of last year, the entire product line of MAIA had been re - sorted.
The third was to upgrade the stores. When I first took over, MAIA had about 36 stores. We adjusted some stores and optimized them at the store end. Previously, MAIA's stores were relatively small, with an area of about 100 square meters. After the acquisition by Anta Group, we upgraded the stores to the concept of experience centers, mainly opening large stores, which is a significant change offline.
36Kr: How many stores are there now?
Zhao Guangxun: There are about 45 stores. Besides the traditional first - tier cities, we have also opened new stores in Chongqing and Chengdu.
36Kr: What theme concept stores are there currently?
Zhao Guangxun: We have created four types of concept stores. One is the Yoga Studio centered on experience. This type of store is very large, and there will be one flagship store in each city, which can host community activities of MAIA FUN CLUB.
The second is the Yoga Gallery, which is also a relatively large store mainly displaying yoga - culture - themed products.
The third is the Leggings LAB, which is a deep - experience center centered on leggings.
The fourth is the Her Closet. We hope that female consumers can come to the store with their friends, take photos and check - in in the large fitting rooms in the store, and share them on social media.
36Kr: Is there a new store - opening plan in the future?
Zhao Guangxun: This year, we plan to expand the number of stores to about 55 and continue to deeply penetrate the first - and second - tier cities. We will go where the consumers are.
36Kr: What is the proportion of SKUs of yoga pants and bras currently?
Zhao Guangxun: The combined sales proportion of yoga pants and bras is about 50%, and the proportion of SKUs is about 30%. We have launched the "Yoga 360" strategy, which means developing full - category products around the yoga scenario, such as sports T - shirts to match leggings.
36Kr: MAIA is still selling down jackets.
Zhao Guangxun: Down jackets are also part of the "Yoga 360" strategy, but the proportion of SKUs is very low. We produce products according to what consumers need on their way to the yoga studio. In addition, we also have the "Yoga Plus" product strategy, which specifically targets other group classes in the gym to launch supporting products.
The Yoga Gallery store in Shenzhen Mixc World
The Leggings Lab concept store in Grand Gateway 66, Shanghai
Who is the Biggest Competitor?
36Kr: MAIA is positioned as a mid - to high - end brand. Is there a plan to increase prices?
Zhao Guangxun: The prices of our core categories have always been stable. New products will be priced based on product strength and market acceptance. There is always room for premium for good products in the market.
36Kr: But currently, there is a trend of consumption segmentation.
Zhao Guangxun: There are indeed many affordable yoga brands in the market now. We don't compete with them. MAIA ACTIVE has different requirements for products. In the yoga market, we only benchmark against the best brands.
36Kr: It seems that the biggest competitor is Lululemon?
Zhao Guangxun: Most people think of Lululemon first when they mention yoga, and can't think of a second brand. Our goal is to make people think of MAIA ACTIVE immediately when they think of yoga.
36Kr: The American yoga brand Alo Yoga has not entered the Chinese market yet.
Zhao Guangxun: Yes, we will observe their performance in other Asian markets. In fact, there are representative local brands in South Korea and Japan, but there isn't one in China yet. This is also an opportunity for MAIA.
36Kr: Chip Wilson, the founder of Lululemon, is the brand consultant of MAIA. What kind of communication have you had recently?
Zhao Guangxun: I often communicate with Wilson. We both believe that the benchmark in the industry doesn't lie in the scale, but in whether it can win the sincere love of consumers. At the same time, only by creating high - quality products can an excellent brand be built.
36Kr: Nike is also making yoga products. Compared with these international brands, what are MAIA's advantages?
Zhao Guangxun: MAIA only focuses on Asian women. We have always studied the color - matching suitable for Asian women's skin tones and specifically studied Asian sizing to analyze the differences in needs between Asian and European women. MAIA's leggings fit the "waist, hips, crotch, knees, and ankles" in five dimensions, rather than just shortening the length of the pants like some European and American brands.
Moreover, there is innovation in fabric technology. The yarn of our "Waist Master Pants" is very fine, and the skin - friendliness and smoothness of the fabric have been greatly improved. Our "Cloud - feeling Pants" have double - sided brushed fabric. While making the product more skin - friendly, it can achieve twice the stretch, which can better meet the requirements of yoga for fabric extensibility.
Therefore, we conduct targeted fabric research and development according to different yoga movement attributes. Our fabric factory is also at the top level in the industry, and many leading brands also cooperate with it.
Focus on Function First, Then Fashion
36Kr: Apart from the differences in sizing, what other special product requirements do Asian women have?
Zhao Guangxun: Take bras as an example. Asian women's requirement is "no nipple show", while European and American women may not care much. So European and American brands make the bra pads very thin to pursue breathability and comfort.
We have a bra research center. We try our best to upgrade the product performance through material research, development, and selection. While ensuring privacy, we are making the center thickness of the bra thinner and enhancing breathability through methods like punching holes. In February this year, we launched a new IP product, the "Chiffon Cup", whose breathability is six times the national standard.
36Kr: In China, some women wear yoga pants on various occasions, considering it a fashion.
Zhao Guangxun: Yes, so it is very important for the products to look good. However, we will focus on function first and then fashion.
36Kr: Recently, MAIA officially announced Yu Shuxin as the new spokesperson and also released the definition of "High - energy Girls". How to understand this concept?
Zhao Guangxun: It means "high energy, high emotional value, and high sense of deservingness". In fact, it is to encourage everyone to be themselves. Since Yu Shuxin herself is very energetic, we want to convey to women the attitude of being "sunny", "positively real", and "brave to be themselves", which is also our product concept.
36Kr: How to communicate with consumers so that people will think of MAIA when they mention yoga?
Zhao Guangxun: After being acquired by Anta, we have put a lot of effort into building communities. MAIA held about 300 events last year, and the plan for this year is similar.
Last year, we also cooperated with PURE Yoga (which is committed to building a yoga community in Asia) and jointly designed and developed the PURE by MAIA ACTIVE product line with PURE's coaches. In addition, we have the MAIA Pro system and have signed 120 professional coaches. We hope to convey MAIA's product concept together with these core people in the yoga circle.
36Kr: Compared with May last year, how has the number of MAIA's members increased?
Zhao Guangxun: The total number of members has approximately doubled, and the number of fans on Xiaohongshu and Tmall flagship store has also approximately doubled.
Yu Shuxin, the brand spokesperson of MAIA ACTIVE
Anta's Empowerment is "Systematic"
36Kr: Do you visit stores regularly? What do you pay more attention to when visiting stores?
Zhao Guangxun: I visit stores three to four days a week on average. I mainly communicate with