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How Sports Research Built Its Brand in China

Sports Research entered China with a strong US business and clear demand for its products. The challenge was figuring out how to build the brand in a market that worked very differently.

Founded in California in 1980, Sports Research has grown from a single product into an established health and wellness brand with a substantial US business. China offered another major opportunity, particularly as demand grew for science-backed Western health products.

But entering the market meant learning a new set of consumer behaviours. From social commerce and product discovery to the importance placed on testing, sourcing, and manufacturing standards, Sports Research quickly found that its approach needed to be built specifically for China.

Filmed at Sports Research HQ in California, leaders from Sports Research and WPIC reflect on the brand’s expansion into China and the decisions that shaped its growth.

They discuss what surprised them, how the strategy evolved, and why patience, local knowledge, and trust became central to the partnership.

Why Sports Research chose to move slowly

When Sports Research began evaluating partners, WPIC’s advice stood out. Rather than pushing for rapid expansion, the recommendation was to build awareness, learn from the market, and scale deliberately.

Data helped identify the strongest opportunities across the product portfolio, while Tmall Global became an important route to Chinese consumers. The strategy also evolved around how people discover and evaluate health products in China, particularly through social commerce and detailed product education.

In 2025, Sports Research received the Emerging Brand Award, recognising its outstanding operational achievements and breakthrough growth on Tmall Global.

Start with the products that could travel

Sports Research resisted launching its full range at once. The early focus stayed on Omega-3 and Vitamin D, where consumer understanding was stronger and the brand had a clearer story to tell.

Give each platform a job

Rather than treating every channel the same, the strategy used Douyin and RedNote to build discovery and interest, while Tmall and JD.com captured demand and converted shoppers. The platforms worked as a connected system rather than 4 separate stores.

Build around a hero product

Fish oil emerged as the product that introduced many Chinese consumers to Sports Research. That focus gave the brand a recognisable entry point while creating room to introduce complementary products over time.

Turn attention into brand demand

Short video, livestreaming, and social content helped Sports Research reach consumers beyond traditional marketplace search. The aim was to turn that attention into branded interest that could carry across channels.

Give customers a reason to come back

As the customer base grew, the focus expanded from acquisition to retention. Membership, repeat purchase, and a broader product portfolio helped turn first-time shoppers into longer-term customers.

‟My advice would be: be patient, take your time, find the right strategic partner to really have an honest, trustful relationship with. This is a market you don’t know. You have to trust them to scale. Make sure you have a company you trust. WPIC is one of them.ˮ

Jeff Pederson Jr. | Executive Vice President, Sports Research

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