He Sells $1 Ice Cream, And Became a Billionaire?

What can you buy with just $1 these days? 

Not much — unless you're in a Mixue Ice Cream & Tea store, where a creamy ice cream or a bubble tea still costs less than your morning coffee. 

In TikTok, Mixue's low prices and its adorable snowman mascot have generated huge buzz. Many TikTok influencers have even made special trips just to review whether Mixue's drinks are actually any good.

Cheap products never lack a market—but how did this brand manage to open over 46,000 stores and outplay global beverage giants like Starbucks?

Let's talk about the story of Mixue and learn something useful from it.

How Meixue Went From a Street Cart to Global Phenomenon

If you only have $700 in your pocket, what will you do with it? would you dare to start a business? That's what Zhang Hongchao, Mixue's founder actually did.

He started with just 3,000 yuan borrowed from his grandmother. His first few dessert stalls failed, some were even torn down, and at one point he had to give up and return home.

What made Zhang different from other entrepreneurs?

He didn't chase luxury or exclusivity. 

He chased accessibility.

Instead of opening fancy stores, he built tiny booths in high-traffic areas — near schools, subway stations, and shopping centers. 

And when others spent millions on celebrity endorsements, Zhang let his customers be the stars — creating a fun, relatable brand that went viral thanks to its catchy jingle and lovable mascot: the Snow King.

Years later, he turned Mixue into a global ice cream and tea empire. This is the story of an ordinary person who rose from nothing. Let's take a closer look at what he did to make it to the top.

1.Global Expansion Strategy: Light Franchising

Mixue uses a low-cost franchise model that makes entrepreneurship accessible to the masses.

Some stores can be opened with very little capital. In certain markets, franchise fees are even waived to encourage entry-level entrepreneurs.

This model not only fuels rapid growth but also builds strong local brand loyalty.

2.The Mixue Formula: Low Price ≠ Low Quality 

The $1 Pricing Strategy – Made Possible by Supply Chain Mastery

Mixue is known for its $1 price point, but it doesn't cut corners to do so. Instead, it built a localized supply chain system that ensures fresh ingredients at low costs. 

In Vietnam, most of the ingredients are sourced locally, from fruits to dairy. 

This adaptive model allows Mixue to maintain affordability without sacrificing quality.

3.Tech-Powered Operations: AI Demand Forecasting – Smarter Than Average Drink Shop 

Although Meixue's products are inexpensive, it keep up with the times and even have AI technology for predicting orders. So it's not surprising at all to see Meixue everywhere.

Mixue uses AI-driven forecasting systems that analyze weather, foot traffic, and historical sales data to optimize inventory.

If rain is forecasted, stores automatically order fewer cold drinks 

FLUX WMS will introduce standardized warehouse management processes for Mixue's facilities in Thailand and Ho Chi Minh City, ensuring efficient operations from inbound to outbound.

4.Cutural and recreational factor

Social Media Marketing: Snow King Takes Over TikTok

Mixue's mascot, the Snow King, started as a dancing snowman in a catchy and brainwashing song :

I love you you love me 

MIXUE Ice cream and tea 

I love you you love me 

MIXUE Ice cream and tea 

I love you you love me 

I love you you love me 

MIXUE Ice cream and tea

You might have heard this song. Now, he's everywhere: remixed into K-pop, dressed in traditional Kazakh hats, bowing politely in Japan—he even got his own anime series, which reached 200 million views.

“I came for the tea. I stayed for the memes.” — TikTok comment

Snow King Is Taking Over Pop Culture 

Fans love the Snow King so much they've turned him into: Wedding themes (“Only if Snow King officiates”,  joked a Reddit user);Anime characters;Limited edition plushies;Collectible pins.

Risks And What They Have To Do In The Future 

Of course, nothing is perfect. We can't overlook the risks either. Despite its success, Mixue faces challenges:

Over-Saturation Hurts Profitability

In Ho Chi Minh City, multiple Mixue stores opened on the same street, causing sales drops. Some franchisees now demand better territory protection policies.

Rising Labor Costs in High-Income Markets

In Australia and Japan, labor costs are high. To offset this, Mixue is testing robotic baristas to reduce labor expenses.

What Normal People Can Learn from Mixue (and Why It Matters)

The success of Meixuebingcheng seems like just another casual conversation topic. It might shock you for a moment, but then you quickly forget about it.

Can we learn something useful from it? Of course we do! Here are the lessons I've learned, how about yours?

1. Cheap Doesn't Mean Low Quality 

Mixue's $1 ice cream proves that you don't always need to overpay for something good. Sometimes, smart business models beat fancy branding. It's a reminder to look beyond hype — whether it's in food, fashion, or tech.

2. Going Viral Starts Simple

They didn't spend millions on ads. They went viral because people couldn't believe the price. That's it. If you're trying to go viral or build a brand, simplicity and surprise matter more than perfection.

3. Affordability Is a Superpower 

In a world of $7 coffee and $100 hoodies, Mixue makes being affordable cool. People love brands that respect their wallet. It's a big win for businesses, but also a mindset for life: value > flex.

4. You Can Start Small and Win Big 

Mixue started in a small town in China — now it's in Vietnam, Indonesia, and even Africa. No huge investors, no Silicon Valley glow-up. Just consistency, patience, and serving real needs.

5. Trends Travel — Be Ready 

The next TikTok food craze could come from anywhere. If you're a creator, small biz owner, or side hustler, learn from how Mixue rode the wave. They adapted fast, kept it fun, and let the internet do its thing.

In The End 

Mixue Isn't Just Selling Drinks — It's Selling a Scalable Business Model 

Mixue proves that great brands don't need massive budgets or luxury packaging. They need low price with good quality, Smart tech, Cultural localization and Viral marketing.

With its snowman mascot and $1 soft serve, Mixue shows how it beat even the biggest players in the game. 

So, in such a hot summer, do you want to have a MiXue one-dollar ice cream now?