Foreign brands look to profit from the monkey

International retail brands are seeking to woo Chinese customers by adorning their products with monkey characters and images as Spring Festival approaches.

At KFC restaurants, Monkey King toys have become so popular that many customers are lining up at the fast-food chain for a chance to get them. The gift sets cost nearly 200 yuan ($30) on Taobao.com.

The sets, which were released on Jan 25 in a collaboration between KFC and Shanghai Art Film Studio, include three Monkey King toys and three cartoon books.