Every great company has an origin story, and ToyBeta's begins with two brothers, a global pandemic, and a cat named Puff. But the narrative extends far beyond that charming beginning. Zhang Mingchi and Zhang Liangchi have built something rare in the cross-border commerce world: a vertically integrated ecosystem that spans content creation, digital marketing, physical retail, and global brand incubation.
Zhang Mingchi serves as CEO of Puff Media, the parent company that houses ToyBeta. His vision has always been global. 'We never thought of ourselves as just a Chinese company,' he reflects. 'From day one, we were creating content for a global audience. That perspective shaped everything we built.'
The brothers' complementary skills have been key to their success. Zhang Mingchi brings strategic vision and deep understanding of global consumer behavior, while Zhang Liangchi's operational expertise ensures that ambitious plans translate into executable reality. Together, they have navigated the complex landscape of cross-border commerce—from understanding platform algorithms to managing international supply chains to building local teams in foreign markets.
The launch of ToyBeta in 2024 represented a natural evolution of their business. Having served hundreds of brands as a marketing agency, the brothers recognized that many Chinese toy manufacturers needed more than just advertising services. They needed a dedicated channel that understood their products, could tell their stories authentically, and had direct access to Western consumers.
'ToyBeta exists because we saw that the traditional export model was broken for this category,' Zhang Mingchi explains. 'You can't sell collectible toys through commodity channels. These products need context, community, and curation. They need someone who understands both the Chinese manufacturing side and the Western consumer side. We happened to be in a unique position to bridge that gap.'
Today, the brothers oversee operations spanning Guangzhou—where they maintain close ties with the manufacturing belt—and New York, where their 2,000-square-meter hub serves as both retail space and creator community center. A Paris location is already in planning, signaling ambitions that extend well beyond North America. From a pet cat's viral videos to a trans-Pacific toy empire, the Zhang brothers' journey embodies a new generation of Chinese entrepreneurs who think globally from day one.
