As people's living standards and incomes continue to rise, their demands for food have evolved from merely satisfying hunger to a wide array of snacks and beverages. Despite the special Spring Festival in 2020, food and beverage brands have not slowed down in launching new products. Below is a roundup of new food and beverage products released from the beginning of 2020 to the end of February. 1. Yili - Yiran Milk Mineral Sparkling Water (Passion Fruit, Cucumber Flavors) Product Positioning: Sparkling water with 100% milk-derived minerals With consumers' growing health awareness and the rise of younger consumer groups, stylish and healthy sparkling water has hit a sweet spot. Yiran Milk Mineral Sparkling Water not only boasts 0 sugar, 0 calories, and 0 fat, but its core selling point is the addition of "100% milk-derived minerals," providing 96mg of calcium per bottle, offering a new way to supplement calcium and the nutrition of milk. The product also contains real fruit juice, delivering a fresh and layered taste, and a sugar-free, fizzy, refreshing experience, targeting scenarios such as dining, light exercise, parties, and outings. 2. Yangyuan Six Walnut - Ka Mu Ning Product Positioning: Anti-anxiety brain nutrition drink As a representative brand of healthy beverages in China, Yangyuan Six Walnut, to alleviate public anxiety and psychological stress during the pandemic, launched "Ka Mu Ning," an anti-anxiety brain nutrition drink developed over years of research. It is now available on Six Walnut's Tmall flagship store at 120 yuan for 12 bottles of 240ml each. It is reported that experts say the launch of "Ka Mu Ning" is of great significance for the public's psychological protection, not only strongly supporting epidemic prevention and control but also providing positive guidance for the upgrading and development of the food and beverage industry. The launch of Ka Mu Ning further enriches Yangyuan's product matrix, aligns with the needs of mainstream consumer groups in China, and is an important step in its multi-brand and diversified layout. 3. China Tobacco - Bu Ran Tang Product Positioning: A beverage targeting lung pollution from smoking, haze, vehicle exhaust, dust, and drinking water China Tobacco launched its first cross-industry beverage, "Bu Ran Tang," developed by Yunnan Datang Hanfang Pharmaceutical in collaboration with Kunming Shuangwei Technology, a wholly-owned subsidiary of China Tobacco, and the China Guiyang Tobacco Research Institute. The product positioning is clear: it targets lung pollution caused by smoking, haze, vehicle exhaust, dust, and drinking water. Mr. Zhu Guangrong, Chairman of Datang Hanfang, stated that for the future of the beverage industry, there is no doubt that more nutritious and healthier options have become the main theme of rapid innovation across the industry. He believes that through the opportunity of Bu Ran Tang entering the beverage market, consumers can shift their consumption mindset—drinking beverages not just for indulgence but with greater attention to their own health. This can also optimize the beverage market environment, stimulate the healthy beverage segment to mature and develop better, and provide consumers with healthier beverage choices. Data shows that China currently has over 300 million smokers. The launch of Bu Ran Tang may offer smokers some psychological comfort and encourage them to promote the product, but whether this cross-industry novelty can make waves remains to be seen. 4. Mengniu - Ju Jian Qing Ning Product Positioning: A refreshing, non-greasy, digestion-aiding beverage for meals "Ju Jian Qing Ning" is a lemon and calamansi-flavored drink in 250ml Tetra Pak packaging, containing 3.75g of dietary fiber per pack. It has a refreshing, non-greasy taste and aids digestion. The official launch of "Ju Jian Qing Ning" enriches the beverage lineup under Mengniu's GO Chang brand. Its concept of "refreshing without greasiness, digestion without worry" gives it a unique advantage in the foodservice market, leveraging the peak Spring Festival season to expand into more consumer markets. 5. Uni-President - Yuan Qi Jue Xing 100% Orange Juice Product Positioning: 100% fruit juice beverage Uni-President's juice brand "Yuan Qi Jue Xing" has launched a new product to strengthen its position in the 100% juice beverage market. Unlike the previously launched chilled Yuan Qi Jue Xing 100% fruit and vegetable juice, Yuan Qi Jue Xing 100% Orange Juice is an ambient FC (from concentrate) juice. However, it is understood that the low-concentration juice market, which accounts for over 70% of the market share, is shrinking, and the entire juice market is entering a period of restructuring. In the high-concentration juice segment, the former king Huiyuan Juice has underperformed, creating space for emerging juice brands to shine. After four years, Uni-President is again making a push in the high-concentration juice segment, and its various moves with Yuan Qi Jue Xing in 2019 clearly demonstrate its determination to increase investment in this market. 6. Nongfu Spring - 250ml Small Bottle Beverages Product Positioning: Small bottles, healing, cute beverages Nongfu Spring's new products are small-pack versions of its existing products, but during this special period, the "healing" attribute, compact portability, and adorable appearance, coupled with hot topics, have made them highly attention-grabbing upon release. 7. Genki Forest - Strawberry Jasmine Burn Tea Product Positioning: A sugar-free, low-calorie healthy beverage Genki Forest has launched a new flavor in its Burn Tea series: Strawberry Jasmine Oolong Tea. The product features Anxi Huangjingui tea, with the first infusion extracted in a single pass. Each bottle contains dietary fiber equivalent to three apples and up to 200mg of tea polyphenols, which help accelerate fat excretion and inhibit fat absorption. Additionally, the product uses erythritol, a natural zero-calorie sweetener, which does not raise blood sugar levels, does not participate in metabolism, does not cause tooth decay, and offers a natural taste without the risk of weight gain. The new product is now available for pre-sale on Tmall and JD flagship stores at 97.5 yuan for 15 bottles of 500ml each. 8. Genki Forest - Qi Se: Peach & Red Date Longan Yogurt Product Positioning: Drinking yogurt Beihai Pasture, the healthy yogurt brand under Genki Forest, launched the "Qi Se Goddess Festival Limited Edition" to coincide with Women's Day. The "Qi Se" series of drinking yogurts includes peach and red date longan flavors. The products use a double homogenization process for a texture similar to fresh milk; they contain real peach and red date longan jam, and use steviol glycosides instead of added sugar, with 0 sucrose and low calories to maintain a healthy glow. The products are currently available for pre-sale on e-commerce flagship stores at 138 yuan for 12 bottles of 200g each. 9. Want Want - "Ai Yo" Plant-Based Drink Product Positioning: A 0-fat, sugar-free, 0-calorie herbal plant-based beverage In recent years, Want Want has responded to market changes and upgraded consumer demands by continuously pursuing innovation and transformation, integrating and adjusting its strategies. Now, it has launched a new strategy with the establishment of Shi Ji Yan, which combines "taste" and "health" through innovative R&D based on consumer traits and trends. It has newly introduced the "Ai Yo" plant-based drink, making a major foray into the beverage market. It is reported that this drink selects extracts from Yunnan red roses, Austrian elderflower, Hangzhou white chrysanthemum, and other herbal plants, creating three flavors: rose, elderflower, and white chrysanthemum. It features 0 fat, no sucrose, and 0 calories, offering consumers a refreshing new experience from the inside out. 10. PetroChina - Hao Ke Zhi Li Energy Drink Product Positioning: Functional beverage PetroChina has cross-industry launched its own-brand functional beverage "Hao Ke Zhi Li," currently mainly sold at Kunlun convenience stores in Anhui province. It is reported that the product adds natural ingredients like guarana and green tea powder to the traditional taurine-based functional drink. The product comes in a 310ml modern can and is priced at 5 yuan per can. Gas stations have always been a battleground for functional drinks. With 19,000 convenience stores, PetroChina's entry with its own product may reshape the functional beverage market, but the outcome remains to be seen. Additionally, it is understood that Anhui PetroChina gas station Kunlun Hao Ke convenience stores have been running a "half-price, half-gift" promotion for Hao Ke Zhi Li: if refueling exceeds 200 yuan, each can is only 2 yuan. 11. Bright Dairy - Youbei "Little Scent Bottle" Fresh Milk Product Positioning: Small-pack rich and mellow fresh milk On January 1st, Bright Dairy announced the launch of Youbei "Little Scent Bottle" rich and mellow fresh milk, using 75°C pasteurization to retain more active nutrients in fresh milk, such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, lactoperoxidase, and other active proteases. Each 100ml contains 3.6g of high-quality milk protein, offering a rich taste and nutritional deliciousness. The 280ml small size is convenient for immediate drinking and portability. The product is currently available at FamilyMart convenience stores. 12. Nongfu Spring - Ambient NFC Juices: Xinjiang Apple Juice & Guava Blend Product Positioning: Ambient NFC juice beverages Nongfu Spring has added two new products to its ambient NFC juice line: Xinjiang Apple Juice and Guava Blend. The apple juice is equivalent to about two and a half fresh apples, while the guava blend is a mix of apple juice, grape juice, guava pulp, carrot juice, passion fruit juice, and banana puree. Additionally, compared to the original products, the apple juice's shelf life has been shortened to 60 days. To better tap into the gift market, Nongfu Spring has also designed gift boxes with more vibrant colors, priced at 75 yuan for 10 bottles. The new products are currently available through offline and e-commerce channels. 13. Southern Black Sesame Paste Group - Early 7 AM Product Positioning: Breakfast meal replacement porridge In this fast-paced era, you see all kinds of people rushing around every day. Skipping breakfast or eating it haphazardly has become a "generational disease" among China's younger generation. However, the breakfast market is a huge potential market being tapped, with countless foods suitable for breakfast. Recently, Southern Black Sesame Group launched bottled "Early 7 AM" nutritious breakfast to explore this vast market. The product comes in three varieties: fruit and vegetable grain meal, red date and red bean grain meal, and purple yam grain meal, with a shelf life of one year. The product requires adding warm water not exceeding 55°C and shaking for 30 seconds before consumption. Each bottle contains 1.2g of fat and 144kcal, offering low fat and light intake. Based on the average daily intake of 1800kcal for women as per the Chinese Dietary Guidelines, the Early 7 AM grain breakfast porridge can reduce calorie intake by about 76%, offering a new meal replacement experience. 14. Want Want - "Chao Sha" Product Positioning: Nutrient functional beverage Health concepts are permeating people's lives, and consumer lifestyles are changing. Carbonated drinks are being shunned, while functional drinks are gaining popularity. The functional beverage market has great potential, attracting many new entrants. In 2020, Want Want's functional drink makes a comeback, this time as the upgraded nutrient beverage "Chao Sha." The new slogan is "Small size, big energy." It is reported that Want Want Chao Sha nutrient beverage contains maca powder, green tea powder, taurine, and caffeine. The new product is in 100ml packaging, priced at 15 yuan per bottle on Tmall flagship store. It features a compact frosted packaging, concentrated small volume, and is easy to carry. The target audience includes young strivers, athletes, entrepreneurs, and those with high mental and physical exertion. The above are more than ten new products launched by food and beverage brands recently. From these new products, the following trends are evident. 1. Health products continue to be hot, with the pandemic playing a certain role in boosting this trend In fact, in recent years, health has always been a development trend in food and beverages. With rising consumer incomes and growing health awareness, people have higher demands for food beyond just satiety. Additionally, the emergence of COVID-19 in 2020 has further promoted the development of healthy foods. Experts say that COVID-19 infection manifests with varying degrees of symptoms depending on an individual's health status. Therefore, consumers subconsciously rely on products with more health attributes to reduce fear of the virus. They hope products can provide balanced nutrition while also enhancing immunity and helping fight the virus. Thus, among the recent new products, plant-based yogurts, herbal teas, 0-additive sparkling water, and 100% juice drinks—all主打健康趋势的新品—still account for a significant proportion. Moreover, as consumer demand for natural and healthy products grows, the healthy food market is expected to expand further. According to GrandView Research, the global healthy snacks market is projected to reach $32.99 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 5.2%. Additionally, at the end of 2019, Mondelez released its first global snacking trends report, showing that about 60% of adults worldwide prefer eating small, frequent meals throughout the day rather than standard three meals, and say they "can't imagine life without snacks." For consumers in developing countries, new millennials, and those who prioritize health, these figures reach 72%, 70%, and 66%, respectively. So in 2020, products with health attributes will continue to be popular. 2. Sugar reduction in food Humans have an innate love for sugar, and some consumers are strongly dependent on sweets with high sugar content. However, in recent years, the harms of excessive sugar intake—such as obesity, malnutrition, tooth decay, impaired calcium absorption, skin issues, metabolic disorders, and gastritis—have become more apparent. Consumers are increasingly concerned about sugar content in food, and the concept of sugar reduction is developing and even becoming mainstream. In 2019, the National Health Commission issued the "Healthy Oral Action Plan (2019-2025)," proposing a "sugar reduction" special action, integrating with healthy campus initiatives, restricting the sale of high-sugar drinks and snacks in primary and secondary schools and childcare institutions, and reducing the supply of sugary drinks and high-sugar foods in canteens. According to Kantar Worldpanel urban household consumption data, in the year ending October 2019, in the yogurt/lactic acid beverage market, full-sugar products saw a year-on-year sales growth of only 0.3%, showing weak growth. In contrast, low/no-sugar products grew by 20.2% year-on-year, driving the overall market development. The rapid growth and strong recruitment ability indicate that the low/no-sugar segment may have significant development prospects. Therefore, in recent new products, reducing sugar or using healthier fruit sugars is also a major trend. 3. Indulgence and health preservation coexist The fast pace of life and constantly compressed rest time have led many people to only pay lip service to health preservation. During the day, they soak goji berries in water; at night, they soak their feet in herbal medicine, yet they still stay up late. They talk about losing weight and exercising, but they don't cut back on snacks, drinks, milk tea, hotpot, or barbecue. This is a common problem among modern young people. People urgently need simple and effective ways to maintain health, wanting to both "let loose" and "cherish life" in various ways. So, brands have been working on developing foods that cater to these young consumers' indulgence while also offering health and nutrition. For example, Mengniu's Ju Jian Qing Ning provides health benefits while satisfying indulgence, offering thoughtful protection for consumers' health and happiness. 4. Brand cross-industry collaborations Recently, I came across a memorable phrase: "You never know who your competitor is." Indeed, market competition is often unusual because when you're complacent thinking you're safe, a strong competitor might suddenly emerge. For instance, PetroChina, with its 19,000 convenience stores, suddenly announced the launch of a functional drink; China Tobacco launched "Bu Ran Tang" targeting lung pollution from smoking, haze, vehicle exhaust, dust, and drinking water. No one would have linked these brands' original main businesses with their new ventures, but they collided—cross-industry collisions—and their existing strengths are formidable, making them impossible to ignore. Brand cross-industry has become a popular tactic in recent years because it not only helps brands expand their development areas but also reaches consumers through multiple products. Recent cross-industry products have broken consumers' original perceptions, attracting attention and stimulating purchases. So brands need to be aware: competitors are not only "around you," but may also come "unexpectedly." 5. Functional beverages continue to gain momentum Among the recent new products, PetroChina's "Hao Ke Zhi Li" and Want Want's "Chao Sha" are both functional drinks. Neither brand's original main business or most recognized products were in this category. What does their entry into the functional beverage market indicate? Perhaps the functional beverage market is huge, and they want a piece of the pie. According to BCC Research, the global functional beverage market is projected to reach $105.5 billion by 2021, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.1%, significantly outperforming functional foods (7.4% growth over the same period). Functional water is growing rapidly, with a market size of $5.6 billion in 2015; Euromonitor predicts that by 2020, functional water will achieve a 9% annual growth rate. Additionally, according to data from BoSi Data Research, from 2011 to 2018, China's functional beverage retail sales achieved a compound annual growth rate of 17.1%, and retail volume grew at a compound annual growth rate of 12.35%. By the end of 2018, China's functional beverage retail sales had exceeded 40 billion yuan, reaching 41.52 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.57%; retail volume grew to 12.783 billion liters, a year-on-year increase of 8.68%. This shows that the demand for functional beverages remains strong and the market is still large this year. Although there may be some fluctuations due to the pandemic, the special nature of FMCG products means the market can quickly recover to normal after the pandemic ends. This has attracted brands to enter the market. In summary, it can be seen that consumer demands are diverse and hard to satisfy, but there are always prominent consumption trends. If you can't innovate, then follow market changes and align with consumption trends. The market has more possibilities.