As March approaches its midpoint, the beverage sales season is imminent, and for companies, the new product war is about to begin; for distributors, it's a critical time for product selection, which will affect the achievement of annual business goals. Today, New Distribution has reviewed the strategic new products (beverages) of 11 top brands. From these new products, we might glimpse the new trends and directions of the beverage market in 2018.
Uni-President: Caiguoji Keywords: Papaya milk, 2-8°C refrigeration, 2018 hit? New Distribution has exclusively learned that Uni-President's new product Caiguoji will be test-marketed as early as March 2018. It is understood that this product will be test-marketed in selected regions and will not be sold nationwide. Previously, this product was "only heard of but not seen," and our reporter was fortunate to obtain preliminary finalized photos through a friend, allowing everyone to see the product's style. This time, Uni-President has set its sights on dairy beverages, naming the new product "Caiguoji." This is a papaya milk beverage, featuring selected Indian red papaya and New Zealand imported milk sources, with a smooth, rich taste, nutritious and fresher. Currently, most papaya milk beverages on the market are stored at room temperature, but Uni-President's "Caiguoji" will be refrigerated at 2-8°C, making the product fresher. Commentary: In the food industry, Uni-President has always been known for product innovation, with Tang Daren and Xiao Ming Tong Xue being mainstays of Uni-President's innovative products. In a rapidly changing era, keeping pace with consumption upgrades, continuously adjusting positioning, and persistently launching new products are also viewed favorably by many industry insiders. However, frequent new product launches do not necessarily mean every product will succeed; it may inevitably become a "new product laboratory," and many new products may not significantly contribute to performance. In the past 2017, Uni-President's frequency of new product launches was noticeably lower than the previous year, indicating a more cautious approach. Therefore, the upcoming launch of "Caiguoji" has attracted much attention and expectation even before its debut!
Coca-Cola: Sprite Fiber+ (Lemon Flavor) Soda Keywords: First participation in Sugar & Wine Fair, dietary fiber, zero sugar In 2018, Coca-Cola will participate in the Chengdu Sugar & Wine Fair in March for the first time in its history, focusing on promoting two products: one is Monster energy drink, and the other is the internet-famous new product Sprite PLUS (Chinese name: Xuebi Xianwei+), which will be exhibited outdoors at the Western Expo City during the fair. This product emphasizes the health concept of "zero calories," positioned as "Sprite Fiber+ Lemon Flavor Soda," with each bottle containing dietary fiber equivalent to two apples and zero sugar. Commentary: Zou Wenwu, a fast-moving consumer goods marketing expert, believes that Sprite Plus will be a highly prominent new product at the Sugar & Wine Fair. "From the consumption environment, modern people pursue health and fashion, and Sprite Plus's zero-calorie, zero-sugar concept, along with its refreshing white packaging design, meets the needs of these consumers; from the consumption trend, health beverages with light-fat and fat-reduction concepts will be the innovative trend for beverages in the near future, with significant market potential. Therefore, this new Coca-Cola product will certainly attract distributors' attention at the Sugar & Wine Fair."
Yili: Zhixuan Soy Milk Keywords: Plant protein, billion-yuan market, non-GMO soybeans At the end of 2017, Yili Group launched the ready-to-drink soy milk new product Zhixuan Aromatic Soy Milk, officially entering the soy milk market. To boost the Spring Festival season, Yili spared no expense in sponsoring Hunan TV's "Chinese New Year Gala" in 2018 to promote the new product. Yili's determination to claim a share of the billion-yuan plant protein beverage market is evident. Recently, Zhixuan Soy Milk has been highly active online: first, the official Weibo account released an advertising film on February 7, and on February 8, spokesperson Ni Ni reposted and interacted, saying, "With Zhixuan, there's good mood," resonating with a large number of consumers. Commentary: According to a report by market research and consulting firm Mintel, soy beverages lead the overall plant protein beverage market, with a sales share of 37.1% in 2016. Data shows that the current market size of ready-to-drink soy milk in China is around 30 billion yuan, but the ready-to-drink rate is only 16%. Based on this, the market potential for ready-to-drink soy milk is as high as hundreds of billions. In the past 2017, nearly 200 companies of various sizes increased their focus on soy milk beverages, and market competition showed two characteristics: first, the overall market soared, and category heat was unprecedented; second, there was a "lack of leadership," with no truly dominant leading brand. Therefore, Yili's choice to enter the soy milk sector at this time stems from precise insight into new demands under consumption upgrades and aims to create a new "booster" for achieving the goal of being a "global healthy food provider" through diversified product layout. It has been highly anticipated since its debut.
Junlebao: Room Temperature Pure Milk "Bai Xiaochun" Keywords: Fresh and transparent, fourth domestic dairy enterprise with 10 billion revenue, pure milk On March 5, Junlebao Dairy Group, together with Hebei Radio and Television Station and Shanxi Radio and Television Station, held the "Bai Xiaochun" brand strategy launch conference. It is reported that "Bai Xiaochun" is a room temperature pure milk brand heavily launched by Junlebao's room temperature business division, and it is a strategic move for Junlebao Group to improve category layout and enhance the competitiveness of room temperature products. Currently, Bai Xiaochun milk has been fully rolled out in the North China market, leveraging the regional advantages of Hebei and focusing on radiating to the pure milk markets of Shanxi, Shandong, and Henan provinces. Commentary: On February 4, Junlebao announced that its 2017 group sales revenue increased to 10.2 billion yuan, successfully achieving the predetermined strategic goal. This makes it the fourth domestic dairy enterprise with 10 billion revenue, following Yili, Mengniu, and Bright Dairy. Junlebao's "Bai Xiaochun" brand is another push in the room temperature segment after its milk powder business. With the upgrade of internet consumption, consumption concepts have undergone significant changes, and more "visible" products are favored. Junlebao's full launch of the Bai Xiaochun brand milk achieves complete transparency from milk source supply, production processes, to product packaging, greatly satisfying consumers' sensory and cognitive needs.
Mizone: Cactus Green Orange, Sea Salt Green Mango (New Flavors) Keywords: Cactus, market transformation, top spot in bottled energy drinks Before the Chinese New Year, Mizone launched 15 New Year bottles, firing the first shot in Spring Festival marketing. Recently, following the New Year bottles, Mizone has made new moves. According to New Distribution, Mizone will launch two new flavors, "Cactus Green Orange" and "Sea Salt Green Mango," which will be fully launched in March! It is reported that Mizone currently has flavors such as lime, orange, peach, coconut pineapple, and mango. To continuously optimize Mizone's taste and packaging, Mizone is pushing new products, and "Cactus Green Orange" and "Sea Salt Green Mango" are the new flavors created by Mizone this year. Commentary: Since 2010, Mizone has consistently ranked first in market share in China's bottled functional beverage market. Its terminal retail sales from 2013 to 2015 were 6.7 billion yuan, 8.6 billion yuan, and 9.8 billion yuan, respectively, with annual growth rates stable at double digits. However, in the 2016 financial report, Danone stated that in China, Mizone's sales grew year-on-year in the fourth quarter, but due to inventory adjustments during market transformation, the full year saw a decline. This was also the first decline in Mizone's retail sales in China since 2010. In the 2017 financial report, Danone's water and beverage business accelerated growth in the second half, with particularly strong performance in the fourth quarter. Sales revenue grew by 10.3% in the fourth quarter after a significant 7.6% growth in the third quarter, indicating that Mizone's market transformation has ended, based on the gradual recovery of the category, the successful execution of brand optimization plans, and the positive effects of the "Chi Energy" launched in the second quarter. Intense competition and changing consumer demands remain key challenges for Mizone. Whether these two new products can continue to bring sustained growth for Danone remains to be seen.
Nongfu Spring: 15L Barreled Water Keywords: Disposable barreled water, no empty barrel recycling, household water Zhong Shanshan stated that in 2018, Nongfu Spring will closely integrate online and offline, target the household water consumption market, and continue to develop with large-packaged water products. In terms of communication, Nongfu Spring will use the brand appeal of "good water for cooking rice, good water for cooking dishes, good water for brewing tea," continuously deepening the brand positioning for household water online, and plans to launch advertisements with the theme "You've eaten rice all your life, but don't know how to cook it well." Nongfu Spring's "15L disposable barreled water" features the selling point of no empty barrel recycling! Commentary: Compared with ordinary barreled water, the 15L barrel emphasizes single-use, no reuse of packaging barrels, no secondary pollution, and can be said to be safer. In addition, the product requires no barrel deposit and no barrel return, making it more convenient. Compared with Nongfu Spring's 4L and 5L small-capacity water, the 15L water has a larger capacity, meeting a family's weekly drinking needs; moreover, the thoughtful design allows the water to be placed directly on a water dispenser, with a tear-off handle, peel-off bottle cap film, and insertion into the dispenser. In recent years, major bottled water companies have regarded meeting water as an important channel to control, and it has become a red ocean competition. To further expand in scale, new growth points must be sought. Nongfu Spring took the lead in jumping out of the red ocean, targeting the household water market, and has been making continuous efforts since last year. Perhaps in 2018, household water will become another "red ocean"!
Want Want: Frozen Dessert "Dongchi" Keywords: 20th anniversary of ice product R&D, cartoon packaging, "Dong Ci Da Ci" Want Want Group has been investing in ice product R&D for 21 years in 2018 and has launched the latest ice product, Dongchi. It is understood that this ice product uses imported milk sources, with protein content comparable to milk, reaching 2.7% to 3.2%. Currently, there are four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, coconut milk, and durian, each with corresponding cartoon character packaging. The biggest feature of this product is that compared with general ice cream that requires freezing, "Dongchi" can be transported at room temperature, making storage very convenient. It is reported that the retail price is 4 yuan per piece. As for the product name "Dongchi," its creativity originates from the musical rhythm "Dong Ci Da Ci," which is quite interesting. Commentary: From 1997 to 2017, over 20 years of development, Want Want Ice successfully launched a series of products such as Suibingbing and Xixibing. Looking back ten years ago, when Want Want just launched Suibingbing, working overtime every day to develop markets and visit customers was a daily routine for Want Want employees, and no one could have imagined that just ten years later, Suibingbing's sales would reach billions. Now, the launch of "Dongchi" has expanded the category landscape again, and we look forward to its better performance in the future.
Chengde Lulu: Hot Almond Milk Drink Keywords: Plant protein, breakfast nutrition, all-natural To create diversified consumption scenarios, on January 8, Chengde Lulu held a new product launch conference in Beijing, introducing the hot drink version of Lulu Almond Milk and launching the Lulu Breakfast Nutrition Upgrade Plan. According to Niu Xianchun, manager of Chengde Lulu's Beijing business division, the newly launched hot almond milk drink is centered on "Good breakfast nutrition, drink hot Lulu," targeting the breakfast market directly, striving to "warm the mornings of every young person striving." From the product perspective, the new Lulu product selects wild almonds from the 43rd parallel north, which are natural and pollution-free, and is crafted using traditional stone grinding techniques, with plant protein and zero cholesterol; it is rich and smooth, silky and delicious! It is worth noting that the packaging of this new product has changed significantly. First, the color is lighter than before; second, the endorsement elements have been removed from the packaging, and the large almond has a stronger visual impact. Commentary: The launch of Chengde Lulu's hot almond milk drink has attracted attention, but besides praise, there are also doubts: as a product traditionally focused on festive gifting, how can it quickly gain consumer acceptance in the breakfast market? What is truly new about the high-profile hot drink version, and can the price increase convince the market? Industry marketing experts point out that shifting from the previous single low-frequency festive gifting scenario to a rich high-frequency breakfast consumption scenario is an important feature of Chengde Lulu's new product strategy. Undoubtedly, from both the perspective of product consumption frequency and consumer contact scenarios, this is a significant step forward.
Yangyuan: Six Walnuts "Phoenix Can" Keywords: Four major theme scenarios, Shun culture, Phoenix can Recently, at the beginning of 2018, Six Walnuts heavily launched the "Phoenix Comes, Six Six Great Luck" "Phoenix Can." The Phoenix Can new product from Yangyuan Beverage's Six Walnuts is divided into four series: "Phoenix Comes with Auspiciousness," "Dragon and Phoenix Bring Harmony," "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Celebrates Reunion," and "Phoenix Dancing in the Sky Enjoys Peace and Health." These four series, by focusing on four major theme scenarios, create a strong festive atmosphere, clearly conveying people's expectations for auspicious reunion and happy life, and meeting consumers' drinking needs in multiple scenarios. Commentary: It is not difficult to see that at the beginning of 2018, Six Walnuts introduced a new visual symbol—the phoenix—for the brand's "Shun" culture, injecting stronger cultural momentum into the brand with "Phoenix Comes, Six Six Great Luck." As an industry leader, Yangyuan Beverage's Six Walnuts bears a sense of responsibility. How to continue focusing on the R&D and innovation of walnut milk beverages and provide better products for consumers is something the company has been thinking about. The launch of the Phoenix Can is just one step in Six Walnuts' brand strategy, and we look forward to the performance of the "Phoenix Can"!
Wahaha: Calcium Duo Duo, Zinc Duo Duo Keywords: Zinc and calcium supplementation, children's exclusive beverage, continuous innovation Wahaha's nutritional yogurt is a beverage positioned for children, divided into Calcium Duo Duo and Zinc Duo Duo. The products feature cute little yellow duck and pig packaging, which is adorable and fun, and the names highlight "calcium" and "zinc," two essential elements for children's growth, directly and prominently. This product was unveiled at Wahaha's 2018 sales meeting and is now being distributed in various regional markets, priced at 70 yuan per carton. Commentary: Wahaha started with children's nutritional liquid products, and the subsequent launch of the Wow Wo Xi series also achieved significant success. However, in recent years, due to adverse factors such as online rumors, sales of Wow Wo Xi have declined significantly. Wahaha has also been continuously innovating, launching multiple children's yogurt beverages. In fact, Wahaha has been trying to change and adjust its product structure. This time, Wahaha is focusing on its "founding" category, which might be a good choice.
Nestlé: Xianyue Xiao V Room Temperature Yogurt Keywords: Dietary fiber, challenging the "three giants," popular category At Yinlu Foods Group's 2018 national distributor conference, the company launched Nestlé's "Xianyue Xiao V" room temperature yogurt. According to the introduction, Nestlé's "Acti-V" Xianyue Xiao V room temperature yogurt is 200ml per bottle, uses pasteurization and heat treatment technology, and is specially added with dietary fiber. The flavors unveiled this time include original and yellow peach, and a new mango flavor will be launched in 2018. Different from traditional room temperature yogurt products, Xianyue Xiao V uses PET bottle packaging, which not only facilitates consumers' drinking at any time but also highlights the product's premium attributes. According to attending distributors, the terminal retail price is 6 yuan per bottle. Commentary: Room temperature yogurt, as a hot category in recent years, is highly favored by consumers. According to Mintel survey data, from March to May 2017, 83% of consumers had consumed room temperature yogurt (based on 3,000 internet users aged 20-49). From the industry landscape, room temperature yogurt is a major business for the top three domestic dairy companies (Bright Dairy, Yili, Mengniu), and market competition is extremely fierce. Under the trend of consumption upgrades, most common room temperature yogurt product features on the market have been taken for granted by consumers, and category growth has slowed. Nestlé's "Acti-V" Xianyue Xiao V, as the first international brand challenger aiming to break the "three giants" situation, is worth looking forward to! Joyce Lam, Mintel's APAC trend analyst, stated, "Income growth expands product choices, enabling consumers to choose products that express their unique personalities. Brands not only need to create personalized products but also provide channels for customers to express their personality through the brand. In the future, more brands will launch products and services that allow consumers to be more authentic, enabling them to continuously explore and express their inner selves." In summary, the strategic new products of top brands generally show the following characteristics: plant protein, health and nutrition, and positioning for diversified consumption scenarios. In the new era of consumption upgrades, "mass" products are outdated, and "niche" products in multiple scenarios are becoming the new direction! Among the above 11 new products, which one do you favor the most? Welcome to vote below and leave us a message!**** -END-