In recent years, e-commerce platforms like Miss Fresh and Hema Fresh have rapidly risen, gaining enthusiastic consumer追捧. When asked about the reasons behind this, consumers consistently answered: "Because it's fresh." Indeed, take the bakery industry as an example. This year, Packaging Manager conducted a nationwide survey on packaging experience for short-shelf-life bakery products. The results show a significant consumer preference for shorter shelf lives. Survey data shows: 47% of consumers prefer bakery products with a shelf life of 15 days or less; 38% prefer 15-30 days; 13% prefer 30-45 days. From the data, it's clear that more consumers want short-shelf-life bakery products to be fresh, because freshness represents health and good taste. The term "short-shelf-life" (短保) literally means short shelf life. Foods with shorter shelf lives typically range from 5-10 days to 1-3 months. Conventionally, industrially produced pastries with a shelf life of 45 days or less are classified as short-shelf-life foods. The continuous shortening of shelf life for these products highlights freshness. In reverse, freshness equals short shelf life. In fact, throughout history, Chinese people have always pursued short-shelf-life foods. The Evolution of Logistics Revolution During the Tang Dynasty, Yang Guifei loved lychees, but fresh lychees only lasted two to three days at low temperatures. Emperor Xuanzong, doting on her, spared no effort—changing horses and riders at every post station—to deliver fresh lychees, even at the cost of horses' lives. The distance from Lingnan (where lychees were abundant) to Chang'an was over 2,100 kilometers. Su Shi's "Lychee Lament" describes: "Every ten li a courier station, dust flying; every five li a beacon, urgent as war. Bodies fill the pits and valleys, known to be from lychees and longans. Flying carts cross mountains, hawks cross seas, branches and dew still fresh as newly picked." This is Su Shi's depiction of lychee transport, allowing for literary exaggeration, it roughly matches the scene. Over 2,100 kilometers—by modern plane, it takes just over 2 hours, barely time for a nap. So, inconvenient transportation and long distances are a "fatal flaw" for short-shelf-life foods. In 1997, an Economist columnist proposed the concept of the "death of distance": convenient transportation and low-cost delivery services allow people in remote areas to enjoy services previously only available in big cities. China's logistics revolution can be seen as a Chinese version of the "death of distance." From "animal-powered logistics" to "machine-powered logistics" to "internet-powered logistics," the three revolutions differ not only in transport modes but also in technological advances. The third revolution, driven by the internet, would be impossible without mobile positioning, IoT, and big data. As supply chains are the infrastructure of the business world, when infrastructure undergoes transformation or significant improvement, the entire industry changes, and opportunities arise. For example, Toly Bread is a beneficiary. With 25 years of history, it is currently the largest short-shelf-life bread brand in China, holding a 29.4% market share. Toly's business model combines "central factory + chain stores" and "central factory + wholesale." Since short-shelf-life bread serves as a meal replacement, freshness is crucial. Production requires heavy investment in quality assurance, and sales require excellent channels for rapid distribution within the shelf life. The former model shortens transport radius; the latter uses lower costs to distribute to distributors and supermarkets for quick penetration. ▲ Source: Toly Bread official website Under this model, since 2015, Toly's national production bases have grown from 14 to 19, and retail outlets from 90,000 to 290,000, creating high delivery density and frequency, gradually widening the gap with competitors. This high-turnover supply chain system, built on a national network, also boosts product exposure. According to Kantar's 2020 Asia Brand Footprint Report, Toly's consumer reach points reached 257 million, ranking first in the food subcategory. In summary, China's super logistics and cold chain have shortened transit time for fresh goods, making intercity distances irrelevant; a mature e-commerce environment has brought merchants and consumers closer, making shelf life less of an issue. This also drives channels and stores to respond more quickly, with reduced additives and freshness as new selling points, giving niche brands in fresh produce, fresh milk, fruit, and cakes opportunities to rise, leading to market segmentation. This is one reason why Miss Fresh and Hema Fresh have grown rapidly in recent years: Chinese consumers are particularly receptive to "freshness." Relevant data shows that in 2020, driven by the pandemic, Miss Fresh's February revenue exceeded 1 billion yuan, about three times the monthly average. Now, Miss Fresh's monthly active users on APP and mini-program have surpassed 25 million. Such visible success also reveals the evolving consumption demands of contemporary people. Rising Consumer Demand Leads to Industry Segmentation Take pastry products as an example. Five years ago, mainstream packaged pastries had shelf lives of over 6 months, up to 18 months. But two to three years ago, shelf lives commonly became 3 months. This year, pastries with shelf lives over 30 days are rarely seen. So 2016 was the year short-shelf-life pastries fought back decisively: sales of 45-day shelf-life products finally surpassed those with 120-day shelf lives. Behind this is rapid logistics development, but the deeper driver is consumer demand. It's evident that consumers have two fundamental pursuits for food: internal health and external packaging, and internal health largely comes from shortened shelf life. Shortening shelf life actually reduces the taste difference between industrial and natural products. Milk and cakes with shorter shelf lives signal freshness, less need for preservatives, and better taste and health. On this basis, manufacturers can justify higher prices. Markets need guidance, and consumer groups need guidance too. When consumers notice most goods getting pricier, they need a reasonable justification. Short-shelf-life, fresh foods are easier to sell than flashier packaging or more flavors. While shopping in supermarkets, an interesting phenomenon: among various yogurt or cookie flavors, the original flavor often sells fastest. This reflects a market trend: consumers are no longer seeking added flavors as before. This also shows that consumers' purchasing power and concepts are gradually rising. In this rising process, relying on super logistics and upgraded consumer needs, many niche local brands have emerged. Because consumers are willing to pay, these brands can survive, and local brands need such market and consumer concepts to nurture them. Here, we must mention Taishan Original Draft Beer, which has the most say in short-shelf-life products. As early as 2010, Taishan Original Draft Beer with a 7-day shelf life was launched. As mentioned, short-shelf-life pastries only began growing against the trend five years ago. It's imaginable that Taishan's short-shelf-life beer, launched 11 years ago, was almost "ignored"—products were sent out but mostly returned after expiration. However, Taishan persisted with differentiated taste and short shelf life, eventually breaking through in the fiercely competitive beer industry, growing from a regional brand to a national one. A question arises: 11 years ago, logistics hadn't reached nationwide coverage. How did Taishan, with only 7-day shelf life, sell in time? Ma Xiaolong, Market Director of Taishan Beer, answered this at the 2018 FDIC China FMCG Digital Innovation Conference: First, against day and night; second, against the market. Against day and night: every bottle of original draft beer is produced at midnight, transported at 3 a.m., ensuring timely delivery to consumers. Against the market: traditional beer reaches consumers via restaurants, hypermarkets, and convenience stores; Taishan Original Draft shortens the chain, delivering directly from distributors to consumers. In 2017, Taishan Original Draft Beer grew 120% against the trend, a perfect comeback. This year, Taishan's Foshan factory broke ground in the Shuidu Beverage Base in Sanshui District. Covering 61 mu, it's expected to produce 100,000 tons annually by 2023, reducing delivery time from factory to Guangdong consumers from over 30 hours to 2 hours, and achieving a 5-hour delivery circle in South China. From "ignored" to "in short supply," Taishan's possibilities for the industry are infinitely expanded and extremely segmented. Under such development, more new categories and brands will emerge, and short-shelf-life will be further segmented across industries. In Conclusion: Looking at the "evolution history" of the short-shelf-life industry, whether logistics revolution drove consumption upgrade or consumption upgrade enabled powerful logistics is uncertain—like the chicken-and-egg question. From a development perspective, logistics revolution and consumption upgrade grow together, advancing relatively, driving the evolution of the short-shelf-life industry. Behind the industry's development lies a new direction for China's economy under new internet technologies. It's a threshold for China to cross from an "economic power" to a "strong economic power," from "eating enough" to "eating well," just like the Tang Dynasty's "a rider raising dust for the concubine's smile," now achievable for everyone. So, currently, all industries are undergoing a short-shelf-life revolution. Are you "watching" me?