Walmart China and Disney China today jointly announced a long‑term, in‑depth cooperation in areas such as joint product development and retail experience innovation, driven by customer insights, consumption scenarios and industry trends.

Timed with the release of Toy Story 5, the first collaborative project introduces nearly 100 "Toy Story"‑themed products – including co‑branded items under Walmart's own brand "Marketside" and Walmart exclusives – and creates a Disney themed experience zone at Walmart's Shenzhen Xiangmihu store. From large‑scale interactive installations full of creativity and joy, to Disney IP atmosphere‑setting touches throughout the store, and high‑quality fresh products, the collaboration delivers a constantly surprising and innovative shopping experience.

Zhu Jun, President of Walmart Stores said: "We have always put 'customer first' as the starting point of all our strategies, and this groundbreaking cross‑sector cooperation with Disney is a vivid manifestation of that philosophy. By deeply integrating frontline customer insights, innovative product design and boundless imagination, we combine retail with classic Disney storytelling. This not only creates a one‑stop shopping experience that exceeds customer expectations, but also turns every shopping trip into a moment of emotional resonance and delightful surprise. From trustworthy product quality to warm emotional connections and modern innovative experiences, Walmart is always committed to fulfilling our corporate mission of 'Save money. Live better' in ways that are even closer to our customers' needs."

Alex Lin, Vice President & General Manager, Consumer Products, The Walt Disney Company, Greater China & Korea,  said: "We are delighted to begin this cooperation with Walmart and to launch, for the first time in the China market, Toy Story‑themed products and a Disney themed experience zone – this is also a breakthrough in expanding our retail channel partnerships. Both companies share a common pursuit of product quality, creative design and retail experience innovation, which will bring new surprises and joy to fans and families. We hope that our beloved Disney stories and characters will add a touch of happy magic to people's daily shopping moments, creating happiness every day."

Marketside Disney Co‑branded Products: Simple Joy, Simple Freshness

As a key element for this collaboration, Walmart's own brand "Marketside" has launched dozens of Toy Story co‑branded products under the theme "Simple Joy, Simple Freshness", covering snacks, beverages, bakery, dairy and more. All products strictly follow the Marketside brand philosophy of "Simple Freshness" – adhering to simple ingredients, fresh raw materials, fresh origin, fresh experience – while also meeting Disney's specific nutritional requirements for licensed food. All Walmart stores and the Walmart App have also set up dedicated display areas for the co‑branded items.

High‑repeat‑purchase products such as the Tumbler Bucket Yogurt (made with only milk, white sugar and lactic acid bacteria), 4.0 Pure Milk Toast Bread (milk content ≥10%), Organic Chestnut Kernels (only Yanshan chestnuts), and Red Heart Apple Juice Sparkling Water have joined the co‑branded matrix, offering healthy, delicious and affordable options for "five meals a day", while the fun IP‑themed packaging adds joy to mealtimes. Meanwhile, new products like the Sparkling Triple Lemon Juice, HPP Kirin Watermelon Juice, Kyoho Grape & Summer Black Grape Double Swiss Roll, French Flower Macarons, Dorayaki series and more bring freshness and summer fun to the co‑branded line.

In the non‑food area, the two companies have launched dozens of exclusive products covering plush toys, apparel and accessories, home furnishings, bedding and more. Based on customer insights, Walmart identified that younger shoppers and families have shifted their demand for IP merchandise toward "emotional companionship" and "real‑life scenarios", extending beloved Disney stories and characters into "companions in daily life", achieving breakthroughs in three aspects:

1:1 recreation of classic characters' new details to deepen emotional connection – Accurately replicating Woody and Jessie's latest full cowboy outfits from Toy Story 5, preserving signature details to satisfy fans' nostalgia and desire for collectibles.

Creative product design upgrades balancing interactivity and practicality – Breaking the conventional shape and function of plush toys, introducing the oversized Pat‑to‑Sleep Dream Pillow series (Buzz Lightyear, Lotso, Alien) measuring over 1 meter; the Question Mark Pillow creatively combines Lotso with a question mark; color‑changing cups, adding more fun to everyday life.

Responding to the emotional needs of "big kids" – From interactive pillows to color‑changing cups and to the Buddy Walkie‑Talkie that breaks traditional character pairings, these exclusive products bring "fun" to a wider audience, making toys a vehicle for self‑healing and social sharing among young people. Unique exclusive "expressions", such as Aliens winking and Lotso's half‑closed, proud eyes, cater to today's youth preference for "healing without trying too hard", giving toys innate emotional resonance.

Disney IP Themed Experience Zone: "Toy Story" Comes to Life

To let customers fully experience the magic of Disney IP, Walmart's Shenzhen Xiangmihu store has been transformed inside and out, recreating beloved classic scenes from the Toy Story series and new characters from the latest sequel. Through creative installations, themed display areas, giant photo walls and more, the store has become an interest‑driven retail space where customers can explore, play, and immediately own movie story merchandise.

The creative storefront of Walmart features giant Toy Story IP images, an 8‑meter‑high co‑branded product photo wall, and a giant Buzz Lightyear statue, making the store an instant landmark. Inside, two major themed display areas – Buzz Lightyear's Toy House and Jessie's Snack House – face each other, with giant backdrops of the characters' new looks and many IP‑themed elements, immersing customers in a shopping experience alongside the IP. In addition, the store includes a Lotso Drink Bar and an Alien Drink Station, weaving the "Simple Joy, Simple Freshness" experience into every corner.

This collaboration is not only a breakthrough for Walmart in moving from joint product creation to scenario‑based experiences, but also an important exploration of retail experience innovation for the industry as a whole. Starting from real customer needs, the two companies organically combine IP storytelling with retail settings, creating a differentiated experience that balances emotional resonance and trust, setting a new paradigm for cross‑sector cooperation. In the future, Walmart China and Disney China will continue to explore more possibilities of retail experience innovation, bringing customers even more surprising experiences together.