Seeking Alpha·2026-01-26 20:05Company Overview - Mixue Ice Cream & Tea, founded in 1997, has become the world's largest restaurant chain by number of locations, surpassing McDonald's and Starbucks [2][3] - The company started as a small ice cream stall targeting students and budget-conscious consumers, and has since expanded its menu to include bubble tea, fruit tea, milk tea, and coffee [3] Expansion Strategy - Mixue has aggressively expanded overseas, particularly in Southeast Asia, operating thousands of locations in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines [4] - Current growth plans focus on not only opening more shops but also strengthening its supply chain, including new production facilities in Hainan and Henan, and an international supply chain platform in Southeast Asia to support franchisees [4][5] U.S. Market Entry - The company made its North American debut with its first store in Los Angeles in December, followed by two locations in New York [5]