Chinese startup turns professional back-scratching into a paid wellness service
Entrepreneur Zhang Xiaoqiao has launched Suma, a Shenzhen-based business where staff scratch customers' backs for a fee, earning about 100,000 yuan a month.
In Shenzhen, China, 32-year-old Zhang Xiaoqiao founded Suma, a venture that provides professional back-scratching as a relaxation treatment. Customers lie on a bed while trained staff use pointed nails to gently scratch hard-to-reach itchy spots, paying 300 yuan for an hour. Within weeks Zhang opened a second shop in Futian after the first in Baoan, and the two locations together report about 100,000 yuan in gross monthly sales, enough to cover costs and turn a profit.
Men constitute roughly 70% of the clientele, though both genders use the service. Inspired by a viral video and childhood memories of his father scratching his back, Zhang aims to scale Suma to 100 branches nationwide, positioning itch-scratching as a recognized wellness profession.
Why it matters
The story shows how unconventional wellness ideas can become viable businesses in China's fast-growing service market.
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