In addition to the standard pork-and-bread model of ROMOMO, Daxiang has introduced various side products, such as plush toys modeled after green chilies, potato chips and lettuce leaves, as locals might also add these ingredients when eating Chinese hamburgers.

　　Stuffed toys inspired by local dishes, cultural relics and landmarks are gaining in popularity in China, along with the creative consumption rituals and scenarios they create.

　　For instance, at the Gansu Provincial Museum, visitors can select a range of vegetable and meat toys, and watch them being “cooked“ on a little stove to form a replica of the spicy dish Malatang, an iconic hotpot in Gansu's Tianshui that has dominated trending topics and drawn numerous tourists.

　　These Chinese souvenirs are also a nod to the amusing and personalized toys of the popular British brand Jellycat, which offers consumers a sense of ceremony and appeals to those young people pursuing spiritual comfort.

　　A livestreamer sells ROMOMO stuffed toys via livestreaming in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 31, 2024. (Xinhua/Zhao Yingbo)

　　Data from the China Toy and Juvenile Products Association reveal that the post-00s generation has become the largest consumer group for stuffed toys, accounting for 43 percent of total buyers, while people in the post-90s comprise 36 percent.

　　For China's Generation Z, emotional companionship and sentimental value play a significant role in their consumption habits, compared with other generation groups, according to a report by McKinsey & Company this year on China's consumption trends.