Canadian sports brands pursue an upward slope of market potential in China

Numerous Canadian sports brands have established a presence in China -- Canada's second-largest trading partner for over two decades -- with many others poised to enter the market as love for winter sports grows among Chinese consumers.

A pavilion representing Canada attracted crowds of visitors at the Beijing edition of the ISPO exhibition, one of the world's largest sports trade shows with its roots in Munich, Germany.

At the event, Rick Weissenborn, president of Canadian company Innovation Inc., introduced a niche product called the "Rolling Pin," a small device designed to sharpen ski or snowboard edges. He believes there will be plenty of interested buyers here in China.

"We have taken note that the market is expanding quite quickly," he said.

Weissenborn is visiting China for the first time as part of a delegation organized by the Canadian Embassy, which is attending ISPO Beijing for the third year. Representatives from the embassy emphasized the event's potential to build relations between Chinese buyers and Canadian sellers.

"The Embassy of Canada in China is helping Canadian small and medium businesses like this one exhibiting at ISPO today with different trade shows, like this kiosk here, in order to help them meet the right connection and seize every opportunity available for them in China," also said, Jennifer Soucy, the First Secretary and Trade Commissioner at Embassy of Canada to China.

The Embassy's efforts are part of Canada's routine trade promotion, but industry insiders from the country said tensions with the U.S. as well as the maturing of the Chinese market are both factors driving a surge of interest in China.

"In the past, the Chinese market was important because we needed material from China for Canada. But right now, the economy is ripe for the next age. Now, I think there is a good potential for the premium quality of Canadian material to be sold to China," said Olle Chen, COO of Feather Industries Canada.

"I want both countries to work together and to create a strong relationship for decades to come," added Kyler Fortney, the marketing director of LOOP Division Canada, a skiwear maker.

Adding to enthusiasm, China's higher-end consumers have proven their buying power this year, with Lululemon's business in China emerging as one of its strongest global growth engines in the third quarter of fiscal year 2025.

Its CEO Calvin McDonald reported that international performance was fueled by a 46 percent increase in revenue in the Chinese mainland. The Chinese market's contribution to the company's global revenue climbed to 18 percent, up from 13 percent a year ago.

Canadian sports brands pursue an upward slope of market potential in China

Farmers in a rural town in eastern Austria are looking to cultivate Mediterranean-style staples as the impact of climate change sees winter weather in their region warm up.

Young entrepreneurs William Markl and Jonathan Beck are among those seeking to turn their local town of Gols in the eastern state of Burgenland into their own version of Tuscany, an Italian region producing some of the finest olive oils in the world for centuries.

This once far-fetched idea is now becoming increasingly feasible given the dramatic climate shifts which are taking place. Since the turn of the 20th century, temperatures in Austria have risen by three degrees Celsius, more than twice the global average.

Previously, olive trees would not survive Austrian winters of the past, but they are now thriving thanks to the milder climate, with some olive groves expanding across several hectares in the area.

"The last 10-15 years, climate change in this region has been so strong that nowadays our winters are so mild that olives just grow here," said Markl.

Over the last three years, Markl and Beck have planted some 400 olive trees and are expecting to steadily increase production.

"If we reach a point where we maybe harvest around 2,000 kilos we will be thinking about producing oil," said Beck.

Beyond olives, some Austrian farmers have also started cultivating rice while winegrowers are testing new heat-resistant grapes. This comes as traditional crops are challenged by increasing periods of heat and drought in the summer months.

Markl, who is half-Chinese, has also started to grow the famously spicy Sichuan peppers and Chinese dates alongside his olive trees, in response to consumers seeking out more exotic foods.

He expects the entire local region to undergo a major transformation in the coming years.

"It's fun to like drive around the region and then you see another new olive grove from somebody else. Like maybe in a few years, 10-20 years, we're going to look like Italy here," Markl said.

While the duo are looking to tap into the potential now afforded by the changing local environment, several farmers worry that Austrian summers are now becoming too dry, even for olive trees.

New irrigation canals which are set to withdraw water from the mighty Danube River could help ease the situation, as the agriculture community looks to stay on top of the ever-evolving climate situation.

Austrian farmers take advantage of warmer winters to grow olives