The Impulso Podcast

China’s EV race is usually dominated by giants like BYD, Tesla, XPeng, and Nio. But the real surprise? The country’s top-selling model in September 2025 wasn’t a flagship sedan or high-tech SUV. It was a tiny, ultra-affordable, highly customizable “lunchbox-sized” EV from Wuling.

In this episode, Sophia and Jianggan unpack why this humble Hongguang Mini EV has become a nationwide phenomenon and a global export success. From soci...

Most of us open our map apps every day, but have you ever stopped to think about how they actually work, or how little they’ve changed in a decade?

In this episode, Jianggan and Shaolin (co-founder of NextBillion.ai) dive deep into the invisible world of mapping technology , the infrastructure powering everything from ride-hailing to food delivery, and explore why keeping maps accurate is one of tech’s most expensive and underap...

Laopu Gold is shaking up what it means to be a Chinese luxury brand. From heritage-inspired designs to fixed pricing that defies the traditional “by-weight” gold shop model, the brand has carved out a premium niche that’s turning heads.

In 2024, Laopu’s revenue jumped 167% year-on-year, six times higher than in 2021. But what’s behind this meteoric rise?

Tune in as Sabrina and Elody unpack:

• How Laopu reinvented itself from...

Luckin Coffee is rewriting the playbook for how coffee chains innovate. From minty coconut lattes to a Moutai latte that sold 5.4 million cups in a day, the brand keeps churning out new - and sometimes funky - flavours.

In 2024 alone, Luckin launched 119 new SKUs. But how

Tune in as Weihan and Sabrina explore: 

• Luckin’s data-driven R&D and “horse racing” approach to product development; 

• Why odd-sounding creations (grap...

Shopee’s parent, Sea Group, delivered an impressive set of Q2 2025 results - net income grew 5x YoY, exceptional growth from Monee’s billion-dollar loan books, and the rise of SPX Express in Southeast Asia’s logistics game.

Investors took notice, sending the stock up 19.07% by the end of the trading day.

But there was an unexpected twist. For the first time in recent quarters, no one asked about TikTok Shop during the earning...

Why do most restaurants and hotels fail within a few years? It’s rarely because of bad food or poor service, but rather failure to manage demand, pricing, and customer mix effectively.

In this episode of the Impulso podcast, Professor Emeritus at Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration and hospitality revenue management expert Sherri Kimes unpacks how the industry has transformed over the last 20 years, and what it really takes...

The quick commerce war happening in China right now has seen billions of dollars spent. There have been a record number of subsidies pumped into the war by the major players - over RMB20 billion and counting, and a record number of orders by consumers - 120M daily orders on a single platform. 

In this episode, Jianggan and Sabrina dive right into the centre of the battle of the giants - Taobao, JD.com, and Meituan. From billi...

Chinese customs have been busy catching fake Labubus - one airport even found to up 34,000++ fake labubus. Why are the chinese customs so zealous about fake Labubus? What is driving the rise in fake Labubus and what does this mean for Popmart? In this episode, Sabrina and Jianggan unpack what’s driving the wave of fake Labubus, how resale speculation is heating up, whether Pop Mart is quietly engineering a soft landing for its hott...

Southeast Asia’s ecommerce GMV hit $128.4 billion in 2024 — but growth has slowed to 12%, down from 15% the year before. Why did it slow down? Should industry players still be optimistic? 

In this episode, Sabrina and Weihan, the author of our 3rd Ecommerce in Southeast Asia report break down the key findings.

Tune in as we explore:

• Why Thailand and Malaysia are now the region’s fastest-growing ecommerce markets;

• Thoughts on th...

AI can unlock up to US$131 billion annual ecommerce GMV in Southeast Asia by 2030. With the increasing popularity of ecommerce,  we launched a report studying how AI is already transforming the way we shop, and how it will continue to do so in the future. 

In this episode, we talk about the average Southeast consumer’s journey with AI, how we use it, and why it can unlock US$131 billion in GMV by 2030. 
Are consumers okay with AI lis...

Labubu is everywhere - from TikTok edits to custom BBLs, to collectors spending hundreds to make theirs one of a kind. In our previous Labubu episode, we spoke about the business behind Popmart and why it is so popular. In this episode, we go further into the consumer’s psyche, over a toy that has no practical purpose. 

Tengian, Elody, and Phyllis discuss: 

• How customization, scarcity, and storytelling drive fan culture

• The emotio...

Luckin Coffee is finally entering the U.S. — starting with New York City. Will Luckin be able to challenge Starbucks in its own backyard?

Many mistake Luckin’s product as simply coffee. It is not - Luckin is more like an ecommerce company. 

Tune in as we explore: 

• Luckin’s platform-like model, and how it turns its coffee stores into mini fulfillment centers;

• Why Luckin launched in New York, unlike Chagee in Los Angeles;

• How...

In this episode, we dive into the world of quick commerce - also known as “insta shopping” or “near field commerce” by our insights team. In markets like China and India, companies are starting to set their delivery goals within 15 to 30 minutes. We break down what really happens behind the scenes after an order is placed on your smartphones: the logistics, the tech, and the very different operation models behind 15 minute vs 30 mi...

In this episode, we dive into Didi’s launch of its food delivery service in Goiânia through its local brand 99Food — and why it did so before Meituan’s Keeta.

Tune in as we unpack:

• Didi’s decision to launch in Goiânia, a mid-sized city, over São Paulo;

• How past experience in Brazil shaped Didi’s approach;

• Will we see a repeat of the 2017–2018 Meituan vs. Didi battle;

• Whether Didi’s existing fleet and org structure give it an edge

In this episode, we get candid with our colleagues on how and where they actually shop for clothes—and what that says about the future of fashion.From Pinterest and RedNote, to flea markets and Brandy Melville, we explore how social media and offline experiences are shaping buying decisions. We also dive into emerging trends like capsule wardrobes, color analysis, and whether fashion magazines still hold cultural weight.Beyond just...

Luckin is buying coffee beans, Meituan is sending teams to map the streets—and BYD is rolling out electric buses across São Paulo. 

Amidst uncertain times, one thing seems to be sure - Chinese tech giants have their eye on Brazil. In this episode, we talk about why everyone in China’s consumer scene suddenly seems to have their eyes on Brazil. From TikTok Shop to Meituan, and from local competition to cultural adaptation, we div...

Why does the same Grab ride cost $2 in Manila but $18 in Singapore? 🇸🇬🇵🇭🇮🇩And why do some people still take it every day in Singapore?

In this episode , we dive into what it’s really like using Grab across Southeast Asia. We’re joined by Denise from the Philippines and Arana from Indonesia as we swap stories about how people get around, order food, and deal with ride-hailing chaos in our respective cities.

We also discuss ...

After 13 years in Thailand, Foodpanda is making a sudden exit. Once the pioneer of food delivery, it’s now being overtaken by newer players—like ShopeeFood, which only showed up four years ago. Amongst operational decisions, PR controversies, and market dynamics, what exactly was it that led to its decline? 

In this episode, we unpack Foodpanda’s quiet (and rather sad) exit, the competitive nature of Thailand’s food delivery lan...

In this episode, we dive into Xiaomi’s bold leap from consumer electronics into the electric vehicle space. What sparked the buzz around the SU7 launch? How did Xiaomi manage to sell over 200,000 cars in a market dominated by giants like BYD and Tesla? And will a recent accident impact future sales?

Tune in as we unpack what makes Xiaomi stand out in China’s crowded EV market—and why its founder’s loyal fan base and focus on design ...