Temu is now the most downloaded app across Europe. A Chinese e commerce platform that grew fast enough to push aside long-established Western players.

I wanted to understand the mechanics behind this shift, so I invited sustainability expert John Pabon back to Emerging Markets Today.

John lived ten years in China and saw the country move from the wild factory era to a more regulated system.

He explains how Temu scaled through logistics, supplier depth and influencer culture, and how China’s internal reforms shaped that growth. We talk about labor rights, fast fashion, greenwashing and the difference between Temu’s business model and Shein’s public messaging.

John is direct about what buyers get wrong, what companies hide and what the sustainability world avoids discussing. This conversation gives a clearer picture of China, Temu and the global retail system behind them.

Watch the episode on Spotify or video, or read the full analysis on Substack:
https://emergingmarketstoday.substack.com/

Also listen to my first episode with John here: https://emergingmarkets.today/china-the-global-leader-in-sustainability/

More from John Pabon:
Website: https://www.johnpabon.com/
The Great Greenwashing: https://houseofanansi.com/products/the-great-greenwashing
Sustainability for the Rest of Us: https://www.adlibris.com/sv/bok/sustainability-for-the-rest-of-us-9780648918431

00:00 John Pabon joins the episode
03:10 The EU map where Temu dominates
05:23 Why Temu scaled so fast
09:44 China’s sustainability shift
12:54 Should you feel guilty buying from Temu

In this episode, I’m joined by economists Elijah Oliveros Rosen and Harumi Hasegawa Sanchez from S&P Global Ratings.

We unpacked why Latin America’s 2024 unexpectedly outpaced forecasts, and why two of its largest economies—Mexico and Colombia—are heading in very different directions.

We explore how trade tariffs hit Asia harder than Latin America, how a weak dollar and interest-rate shifts brought capital into the region, and how AI helped global risk appetite—and how Latin America both benefitted and lagged. We then shift to country-level analysis:

• Mexico: strong trade ties, lower public investment, resilient performance.

• Colombia: weak growth, sticky inflation, fragile fiscal framework.

We close with a look ahead to 2026 and what investors should watch next.
Don't forget to subscribe to our Substack here

You can also explore latest credit-market research at S&P Global Ratings.
https://www.spglobal.com/ratings/en spglobal.com

[00:00] Latin America overview and why Mexico and Colombia were chosen
[03:30] Why US tariffs hit Asia harder and helped Latin America
[06:00] Capital inflows rise as the Fed cuts rates and the dollar weakens
[08:30] AI lifts global asset prices and why Latin America is missing the data center boom
[10:20] Mexico’s resilience despite low growth and USMCA uncertainty
[13:00] Colombia’s weak growth, sticky inflation and fragile fiscal position

Brazil is one of the most promising ride-hailing markets in the world — but it’s also one of the toughest to win. In this episode, Ana Paula Picasso sits down with Luiz Fittipaldi, former global strategist at Bolt, to unpack why global players like Uber, Didi, and others face unique hurdles when entering the Brazilian market.

From regulation gaps to payment challenges, Luiz shares first-hand insights on what works, what doesn’t, and where the real opportunities lie — especially in tier-2 and tier-3 cities and frontier markets.

For more stories on innovation and emerging markets, visit www.emergingmarkets.today and subscribe to the Substack newsletter: https://emergingmarketstoday.substack.com

You can contact Luiz Fittipaldi here https://luizfittipaldi.com/

00:00:00 — New Season Kickoff: guest Luiz Fittipaldi, former global strategist at Bolt.

00:02:14 — Who Owns the Road in Brazil: A deep dive into the ride-hailing landscape: Uber, 99 (Didi), and the smaller challengers trying to break in.

00:05:11 — Why Brazil Attracts Global Players: Luiz explains why Brazil’s size, infrastructure gaps, and urban mobility issues make it a strategic market.

00:08:02 — Cowboy Style vs Regulation: How Uber and other players grew fast in Latin America with little pushback, and why that doesn’t work in Europe.

00:12:30 — Cash, Cards, and PixBrazil’s payments puzzle: from cash-based habits to leapfrogging with Pix and digital wallets.

00:16:13 — Cracking the Market (or Not): Luiz lays out hard truths and smart strategies for anyone trying to enter Brazil’s ride-hailing market.

00: 21:45 — Beyond Bolt: Frontier Markets - From Bolt to mentoring startups, Luiz shares why frontier markets like Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are the next big play.