I still remember the day the Wacky Mart LABUBU series dropped. It wasn't just another release; it was an event. My phone buzzed nonstop with DMs: "Are you getting them?" "Can I pre-order a case?" "How many are you getting?!" The hype was electric, and frankly, a little terrifying. As the owner of PopNya, I knew securing stock was going to be a battle. As a collector, I just wanted to get my hands on that tiny, grumpy monster dressed as a carton of milk.
This wasn't just any LABUBU food series. This was the series. Pop Mart and Kasing Lung tapped into something special with The Monsters Wacky Mart. It combined the universal appeal of grocery store snacks with the mischievous charm of LABUBU. The result? Absolute chaos in the designer toy community.
When my first cases finally arrived, the feeling was pure relief. The box art itself was a masterpiece, a chaotic, colorful explosion of snacks and monsters that perfectly set the tone. We all know the thrill of a wacky mart blind box, but the anticipation for this specific series was on another level. I opened my personal case first (perks of the job), and I want to walk you through what it's really like to collect this set, beyond the glossy promo shots.
The first thing you notice is the texture. This isn't just smooth, generic wacky mart pvc vinyl. The "Tomato" figure has a glossy, almost wet look, just like a real tomato. The "Mayonnaise" has a matte, slightly soft finish that feels exactly like a squeeze bottle. My personal favorite, the "Bread," has a slightly porous, matte texture on the bread slice itself that is just chef's kiss. These are the details that don't show up in an Instagram photo. You have to hold them. This is where the pop mart the monsters wacky mart series truly shines.
Let's break down the lineup from a seller's perspective. The most requested regular figures in my shop, by a long shot, are "Cereal" and "Ketchup." Cereal LABUBU, with his little spoon and colorful box, is peak nostalgia. Ketchup is just classic, goofy, and instantly recognizable. The ones that tend to sit a little longer? Surprisingly, "Pepper" and "Cheese." They're beautifully designed, but they don't seem to have that same instant "I need it" reaction from customers.
One of the first things new collectors ask is about the character's name. I get emails asking about "La Boo Boo" or "Lou Boo Boo" all the time. It's a common question, and if you're new to the world of The Monsters, it's easy to get mixed up. Honestly, just getting the name right is the first step in a very deep rabbit hole.
Now, let's talk about something you won't find on the official Pop Mart site: the quality control lottery. My first batch of the wacky mart series was nearly flawless. The paint was crisp, the accessories fit perfectly. A few months later, I got a restock. The quality was... Different. On a few of the "Milk" figures from the later batch, I noticed the blue paint on the carton had a slightly rougher edge. The little straw accessory for the "Soymilk" figure felt a bit more brittle. These are tiny, almost unnoticeable things to a casual buyer, but for seasoned collectors, these batch variations are a huge topic of discussion in our private groups. It's a real thing.
The hunt for this series was, and still is, intense. People were desperately searching for "Labubu near me" and finding nothing but empty shelves. It created a perfect storm for the secondary market. This is where things get wild.
Our Take: The Real Talk on Wacky Mart
Okay, honest seller verdict. Is the Wacky Mart LABUBU series overhyped? Yes. Is it worth the hype? Also, yes. It's a paradox. The designs are S-tier, some of Kasing Lung's best work in a blind box format. The theme is pure genius. However, the hype drove prices to a place that's not sustainable or healthy for the hobby. I've had to tell customers, "Look, I know you want the Ketchup figure, but please don't pay $50 for it on eBay. Be patient." The FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) surrounding this release was more powerful than any I'd seen before. It's a fantastic series, but no single, mass-produced wacky mart pvc vinyl figure is worth skipping a bill over. If you're looking to start your collection, it's a great set to aim for, but I'd advise trading with other collectors or waiting for prices to cool rather than feeding the scalpers. It's an iconic part of the monsters wacky mart series figures collection, but it's not the be-all and end-all.
The secondary market for the wacky mart figures is a whole other beast. A full case of 12, which retailed for around $170-$180, was instantly flipping for $350-$400. Individual boxes were being sold for double the price outside of stores. It was madness.
And then there's the secret. The labubu wacky mart secret figure, "French Fries," is a masterpiece. The translucent yellow "fries" in the little red carton, with LABUBU peeking out, is just perfect. The official ratio is 1/144, meaning one secret per 12 full cases. Based on the dozens of cases I've opened for PopNya, I can tell you that feels about right. I've seen the joy on a customer's face when they pull it, and I've also seen the despair of someone who bought 30 boxes and got nothing. That's the brutal reality of the wacky mart blind box game.
When it first dropped, I saw the French Fries secret sell for $250 within hours. It peaked at around $300 and has since settled to a more "reasonable" $150-$200, depending on the platform. It's a massive premium for a figure that comes from a $15 box.Honestly, I've only ever seen one in person. It's the stuff of legends.
One collector tip I can share about this specific series: ignore the weighing trick. Some collectors swear by weighing blind boxes to guess the figure inside. For the Labubu The Monsters Wacky Mart Series, it's completely useless. The weight difference between, say, the "Water" figure (which is mostly just the LABUBU) and the "Cereal" figure (with its box and spoon accessory) is significant. But the weights of "Ketchup" and "Mayonnaise" are almost identical. The packaging has slight variations in cardboard density, too. I've tested it myself with a jeweler's scale. You will drive yourself crazy and likely end up with the one figure you didn't want. Don't do it. Your best bet for getting the one you want is to buy a confirmed, opened box from a reputable seller or trade with fellow fans.
This series really set the stage for the current LABUBU-mania. Before Wacky Mart, LABUBU was popular, but it was one of several popular IPs from Pop Mart. After this release, LABUBU became the IP. It's the Jordan 1 of the designer toy world right now. Every subsequent release, like the Macarons or the Flowers series, is compared back to this one. It's the benchmark.
When people talk about the labubu wacky phenomenon, they're often picturing one of the figures from this set. The sheer market impact of the pop mart labubu the monsters wacky mart series cannot be overstated. It brought so many new people into the hobby. I had customers at PopNya who had never bought a designer toy before, but they saw the little the monster wacky mart figure dressed as a soy milk box on TikTok and were instantly hooked. It was the perfect entry point: relatable, cute, and just a little bit weird.
If you're trying to complete the set now, my advice is to be patient. The series has been restocked a few times, and while it's still hard to find, it's not impossible. The initial frenzy has died down from a full-blown hurricane to a tropical storm. You can find individual figures for more reasonable prices in collector groups on Facebook or Discord. The thrill of the hunt is part of the fun, but it's tough when you're just trying to find stock without getting scammed. You have to be careful where you buy from.
Ultimately, the Labubu Wacky Mart series is a snapshot in time. It captures a moment when a simple concept, our favorite monster in a grocery store, perfectly collided with a growing collector community, creating a pop culture phenomenon. It's more than just a collection of wacky mart pvc vinyl figures; it's a shared experience. Everyone has a story about which one they pulled first, which one they're still hunting for, or the crazy price they saw the secret sell for.
For all its market madness and hype, it's a series I genuinely love. Every time I pack an order with a little Ketchup or Milk LABUBU, I know I'm sending out a little piece of that excitement. And if you're just starting your journey, browsing the wider LABUBU collection is a great way to see how this one series fits into the incredible world Kasing Lung has built. It's a cornerstone of any serious collection.
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