Challengers Hoka, On Holding, Brooks Running muscling into space long dominated by established players

Foreign running shoe brands Deckers' Hoka, On Holding and Brooks Running are muscling into a space long dominated by established players such as Nike, Adidas and Asics, by cashing in on China's fast-growing running market as millions of consumers take up the sport for fitness, competition and lifestyle.

Swiss challenger On Holding and United States-based Brooks Running and Hoka all posted double-digit growth in China this year, fueled in part by booming demand in Asia markets.

Deckers said Hoka's net sales climbed 19.8 percent in the quarter ended June 30 to $653.1 million, up from $545.2 million a year earlier. That performance helped the group beat expectations at the start of its 2026 fiscal year.

"Hoka and UGG outperformed our first quarter expectations, with robust growth delivering solid results to begin fiscal year 2026," president and CEO Stefano Caroti said.

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Caroti said: "The Hoka brand's international business continues to drive exciting and broad-based growth across all regions in both DTC and wholesale. The APAC region is also delivering impressive growth, as Hoka further penetrates the market with mono-brand partner stores as well as own retail stores in China. Our China business is super strong." As a result, he added, "We're seeing very healthy order books for the back half of this year and going to spring/summer 2026." Hoka has more than 100 stores including 33 directly operated stores in China.

On Holding AG, a premium athletic-footwear and apparel company, also delivered another record quarter for the second quarter of this year. Net sales increased 32 percent year-on-year, reaching CHF 749.2 million ($943.86 million).

By region, net sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa climbed 42.9 percent to CHF 197.8 million, the Americas rose 16.8 percent to CHF 432.3 million, and Asia-Pacific surged 101.3 percent to CHF 119.2 million.

For the first half, the company's net sales increased 37.2 percent to CHF 1,475.8 million. EMEA revenue rose 38.5 percent to CHF 366.4 million, the Americas climbed 24.3 percent to CHF 869.7 million, and Asia-Pacific jumped 114.8 percent to CHF 239.7 million.

Brooks Sports Inc, the Seattle-based performance running footwear producer, also reported strong momentum. The company set an all-time quarterly high in revenue for the second consecutive quarter, achieving 19 percent year-on-year growth. In North America, revenue climbed 13 percent, led by wholesale footwear sales and gains in both the US and Canadian markets. Europe, the Middle East and Africa revenue rose 44 percent, marking the highest quarter ever for the region.

In Asia Pacific and Latin America, revenue increased 55 percent year-on-year, with China contributing 80 percent of growth, according to the company.

The surge in earnings underscores how vital China has become for performance and lifestyle footwear brands.

Market research firm Statista projects the global athletic footwear market will reach $115 billion in 2025, with running shoes among the fastest-growing segments. In China alone, Alibaba's Tmall Sports & Outdoor unit estimates that more than 400 million people in China now run regularly, divided into six groups from competitive trail-runners and challenge-seekers, to style-driven joggers and beginners.

That depth of participation is drawing in new entrants and encouraging brands to diversify their strategies. Hoka has been building more community presence in China since 2017 through retail expansion and community events.

On Sept 14, the brand launched its Together We Fly Higher Carnival at Xuedou Mountain in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, featuring a two-person team format designed to highlight the value of partnership in running.

Community activities around the event emphasized running's growing role as a form of social connection as well as fitness.

Shen Haoze, a running club head of "Don't Wait, No Need" that boasts 2,700 members nationwide, said he has run seven races this year — from 10Ks to full marathons.

"Runners in China are more professional, paying closer attention to stretching, nutrition and training science," said Shen. He said Brooks, for example, has clearly stepped up its investment in key races and international majors this year.

"Communities are now split into two types: performance-focused training camps and lifestyle groups who treat running as balance. It's a two-way street — better-prepared runners demand better products, while brands organizing more events win greater mindshare," he said.

To bolster its credibility among athletes and beyond running, Hoka has partnered with Chinese Olympic champions across sports. This year it named swimming gold medalist Wang Shun as a footwear ambassador, while speed-skating gold medalist Gao Tingyu has also been named as a friend of the brand.

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The collaborations aim to reinforce Hoka's professional performances while broadening awareness among mainstream consumers.

Brooks, meanwhile, has leveraged product innovation — launching eight new footwear styles in the quarter, led by the Glycerin and Ghost franchises — to capture demand from runners seeking advanced cushioning and stability. Brooks' premium models drove much of its Asia-Pacific growth, with sales rising 150 percent year-on-year.

With international challengers gaining ground, the competition is heating up against established sportswear players such as Nike, Adidas and Asics, which remain deeply embedded in China's running culture, as the sportswear for footwear market is on the rise. According to Euromonitor International, the sports footwear market in China expanded from 218.6 billion yuan ($30.74 billion) in 2023 to 229.2 billion yuan in 2024, and is forecast to reach 237.3 billion yuan in 2025 in retail value.

Contact the writer at wangzhuoqiong@chinadaily.com.cn