If you’ve frequented malls in the Klang Valley in the past 12 months, you’ve probably seen some new brands. From tea shops to coffee houses, many international brands made their long-awaited Malaysian debut in 2024.
Of course, there have been many new local brands that emerged on the market in the past year, but in this list, we’re focusing on the much-loved global brands that opened their first Malaysian outlets in 2024. From coffee houses to beauty brands, here are 10 international brands that made their Malaysian debut in the last 12 months:
Shake Shack
It was a long wait for American burger chain Shake Shack to finally enter the Malaysian market, given that the earliest reports of a possible local outlet dated back to 2022. However, it was a worthy wait because burger enthusiasts could finally sink their teeth into a classic American-style burger, without having to fly overseas. After opening their first outlet at The Exchange TRX in April 2024, Shake Shack opened their second outlet at Sunway Pyramid last month, expanding their reach to more hungry Malaysians.
Animate
When Japanese hobby store Animate announced their first Malaysian outlet, anime and manga fans in Malaysia went wild – and who wouldn’t? Animate is a well-established chain of stores focusing on goods for Japanese anime and manga, so having a local branch meant fans could get the merchandise of their favourite series with ease. For now, the store only operates one outlet at LaLaport BBCC, which opened in late November 2024, but the crowd is hoping to see more opening up soon.
Tim Hortons
Coffee lovers have longed for this brand to debut in Malaysia – and in 2024, their wish came true! Canadian coffeehouse Tim Hortons simultaneously opened its first two Malaysian outlets at Sunway Velocity and IOI City Mall in August 2024. In addition to their classic coffee flavours, customers in Malaysia can also get country-exclusive flavours, Butterscotch Ondeh Ondeh, and Teh Tarik Tribute, making their local debut that much sweeter!
Ediya Coffee
K-pop fans and K-drama fans alike would be familiar with this South Korean coffee chain – but did you know that they’ve also made their Malaysian debut in 2024? Ediya Coffee opened its first local outlet not too long ago, 20th December 2024 to be exact, so it’s a pretty recent debut. Nevertheless, if you’ve longed to try K-style coffee, like the ones in your favourite dramas, variety shows and YouTube vlogs, then you can check out the brand at Elmina Lakeside Mall.
DESCENTE
Descente is one of those “if you know, you know” sportswear brands – mostly because it specialises in skiwear. Given this fact, it’s no wonder that the brand’s Malaysian debut went under the radar for many of us. However, it’s rather impressive that our country had the great honour of housing, not only the Malaysian flagship store but the brand’s first-ever Southeast Asian outlet in 2024. If you want to check out some quality athletic gear, as worn by Japanese volleyball player Yuki Ishikawa, you can head over to the store at The Exchange TRX.
Kylie Cosmetics
Most Malaysian beauty enthusiasts would be familiar with Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics – and some might have even tried it before, getting their products online through American sellers. However, the company has already made their official debut in Malaysia and is now available to Malaysian consumers at Sephora stores nationwide. This means you can get the iconic liquid lipstick and lip liner without paying extravagant prices on international shipping.
Salomon
Those who love outdoor sports would be familiar with the French sports gear brand Salomon. While the shoes were already available in Malaysia through other retailers, it wasn’t until 2024 that the brand opened its first Malaysian outlet. Of course, the first brand store at The Exchange TRX has some exciting features that offer a unique shopping experience unlike anywhere else. In addition, fans can also check out their more recent outlet at Sunway Pyramid.
Photoism
This one’s for the K-pop fans – because if you’re in the K-pop community, you’d know how groundbreaking Photoism’s debut in Malaysia is. For many others, it’s just a photo booth where you can take pictures and instantly get your strip of photos. However, real K-pop fans know that taking a Photoism picture is a rite of passage, mostly because you can pose with your favourite idols, thanks to its many officially licensed photo frames featuring groups like SEVENTEEN and TREASURE. Now, you don’t even have to travel to Seoul for your photos – just go to any of the Photoism outlets in Klang Valley.
NAIXUE
Coffee shops weren’t the only beverage stores popping up in Malaysia because 2024 also saw many international tea drink brands entering the local market. Most notable is China’s leading premium modern tea drink brand, NAIXUE, which opened its first Malaysian outlet in early December at The Exchange TRX. Even more impressive is the store’s immediate popularity because the brand exceeded RM40,000 in sales just on its first day, showing how much Malaysians love their tea drinks.
Charlotte Tilbury
Any makeup lover will know the name Charlotte Tilbury – and up until 2024, this makeup brand from the renowned makeup artist wasn’t sold in stores in Malaysia. Thankfully, fans can now try out all the award-winning products from the brand because they officially launched a store in the country. Unfortunately, the luxury beauty brand is currently only available at KLIA (Terminal 1), but here’s hoping for more Charlotte Tilbury outlets in Klang Valley.
