Peppa Pig copyright holder Entertainment One (eOne) said it will cooperate with local animation and toy company Alpha to further develop the Chinese market and welcome the Year of the Pig.
Since the broadcast rights for Peppa Pig were introduced to China in 2015, the preschool cartoon character from the UK has quickly dominated screens, becoming one of the most popular cartoons among Chinese children.
So far, it has been broadcast 45 billion times on Chinese online video platforms iQiyi, Youku and Tudou.
Chinese social networking added fuel to the fire, with the emoji of the pink piggy very much on-trend, successfully winning the hearts of young adults.
Peppa's promising performance in China, coupled with the Year of the Pig in 2019, as part of the Chinese Zodiac, has created a market opportunity for eOne.
Andrew Carley, eOne's executive vice-president, said the company is preparing to increase the popularity of Peppa by launching new themed toys and products, including opening a theme park and producing a three-year Peppa show around the country.
Alpha Group Co, based in southern China's Guangdong Province, is the owner of popular cartoons Super Wings and Pleasant Goat. The company is preparing to launch further Peppa Pig themed toys and figurines this year, confirmed the company's manager Suo Dong.
