Source:REUTERS/Ann Wang
[Saba Sports News] The equipment for the Chinese national badminton team has long been sponsored by the Japanese brand Yonex. Founded in 1946, it started as a small company producing wooden products and has grown into the leading brand in the badminton market in China and worldwide due to its commitment to quality and innovation. Recently, this brand, which has been silent in public opinion for many years, has attracted widespread attention from fans because it has made badminton unaffordable for China’s middle class earning $3,000 a month. Due to rising raw material costs and a market consumption trend of supply not meeting demand, Yonex has frequently raised prices on most of its products since the end of last year. For example, the price of the AS-03EX shuttlecock has increased from $13 per tube to $26 per tube, causing fans earning $3,000 a month to lament that they are “about to be unable to afford badminton.” After successfully passing on costs to consumers, Yonex’s performance has been quite impressive. According to Yonex’s Q1 2025 financial report, the company’s sales increased by 11.0% year-on-year to $210 million, significantly up from $190 million in the previous fiscal year. The largest share of total revenue comes from the Chinese market, accounting for 47.3%; its sales increased by 23.3% year-on-year to about $100 million, with operating income reaching $16.57 million, a year-on-year increase of 36.5%.