---
title: "In the Post-Red Bull Era, Tapping into the 100-Billion Functional Drink Market: What Makes This Beverage Stand Out?"
description: "According to authoritative data, despite the overall downturn in the beverage industry, the functional drink category has seen counter-trend growth in recent years, with a 17% increase in 2016 and a projected market size of 170 billion yuan in 2017. Following the unresolved Red Bull trademark dispute and lowered revenue targets, various manufacturers have rushed into this category, but most lack unique product identity and comprehensive market plans, often resorting to low-quality imitation or price undercutting, which is why distributors are cautious despite the category's appeal."
author: "New Distribution"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2017-05-05"
language: "en"
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original_source: "https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/hVrvpumBGGGyipiVFilkTg"
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# In the Post-Red Bull Era, Tapping into the 100-Billion Functional Drink Market: What Makes This Beverage Stand Out?

> According to authoritative data, despite the overall downturn in the beverage industry, the functional drink category has seen counter-trend growth in recent years, with a 17% increase in 2016 and a projected market size of 170 billion yuan in 2017. Following the unresolved Red Bull trademark dispute and lowered revenue targets, various manufacturers have rushed into this category, but most lack unique product identity and comprehensive market plans, often resorting to low-quality imitation or price undercutting, which is why distributors are cautious despite the category's appeal.

According to authoritative data, despite the overall downturn in the beverage industry, the functional drink category has seen counter-trend growth in recent years. In 2016, it grew by 17%, and in 2017, it is predicted to reach a market size of 170 billion yuan. Especially after the unresolved Red Bull trademark dispute and lowered revenue targets this year, manufacturers of all sizes have been ramping up efforts in the functional drink category, hoping to get a share of the pie. However, most companies cannot escape the pattern of following and imitating, making it difficult to form a unique product identity and lacking comprehensive market operation plans. They either follow with low quality or disrupt with low prices. This is also the main reason why distributors, despite being eager about the functional drink category, are hesitant to try it easily..........
Choice is greater than effort; hitching a ride on the fast train of an industry or category is far more important than the effort of pulling the cart with your head down. So, facing the 100-billion market opportunity, how can distributors develop a discerning eye in the complex category? What aspects should they use as reference to choose a truly long-term product and get their own piece of the cake?
Let's take the example of Speed 8 Energy, produced by Shandong Zhuo'er·Tu Ba Ge, to analyze what genes this bottled beverage has in 2017 that are set to stir up waves in the bottled functional drink industry.
**Unlocking the Mysterious Code of Speed 8 Energy**
1. Clear and Precise Product Positioning
For distributors, the initial purchase of a product depends on suitable channels and refined display, while for companies, the initial purchase mainly depends on the product's image—that is, whether the product has appeal and can stand out among similar products at first glance! Indeed, the target consumers of functional drinks are mainly concentrated in the 16-40 age group of males. Especially the post-80s and post-90s generations are the main consumer force for such products.
Speed 8 Energy uses martial arts superstar Donnie Yen as its spokesperson, which aligns perfectly with its product attributes and target consumers. Furthermore, Speed 8 Energy does not follow the common bottle shape used in bottled functional drinks but instead uses a patented bottle shape developed and designed by itself. These two points are enough to lay a strong foundation for brand positioning.
2. Quality is the Lifeblood of the Product
For consumers, if the product's image is the main factor influencing initial purchase, then repeat purchase mainly depends on the product's quality and taste. Just like buying a pack of cigarettes, if we find it unpleasant, we won't buy it again even if it's cheaper next time. Therefore, product quality is the lifeblood of a product, especially for beverages with functional attributes. Although consumers are not professional, the taste and function of the product are real experiences and cannot tolerate any flaws.
Speed 8 Energy not only adopts advanced domestic production technology but also pursues perfection in taste. From the beginning of product positioning, it established a brand-oriented approach, avoiding the low-quality, low-price competition pattern of bottled functional drinks. Its formula, with real ingredients, costs more than double that of similar products, and it specially adds functional ingredients such as **taurine, green coffee bean powder, maca powder, and guarana extract**, ensuring better taste and efficacy.
3. Only Sell-Through Proves Everything
As the saying goes: Business that doesn't aim to make money is hooliganism. The ultimate goal for any distributor representing a product is to maximize profits. Only when the product flows through the channels can more profits be earned.
Speed 8 Energy, from the beginning of product positioning, scientifically planned the profit distribution across channels. It gives profits to channel partners and distributors, forming a maximized promotional synergy across channels. The high 40% "one-yuan exchange" consumer pull promotion ensures favorable sell-through.
4. Comprehensive After-Sales Service Mechanism
A comprehensive after-sales service guarantee is more conducive for distributors to boldly and confidently promote the product. In Chinese FMCG companies, this is precisely what is lacking. More small and medium-sized enterprises generally have no after-sales service or have an incomplete after-sales service system. Often, after distributors stock up, they are left to fend for themselves, making it difficult to satisfy distributors and consumers.
Speed 8 Energy, from Shandong Zhuo'er·Tu Ba Ge, has not only established a comprehensive after-sales service mechanism but also built a professional and efficient sales team to escort distributors, ensuring they have no worries.
5. Practical Promotion and Consumer Engagement
Speed 8 Energy believes that although it has performed well in the market so far, brand building still has a long way to go. At this stage, it is necessary not only to do a good job in market infrastructure but also to engage in consumer education and interaction. Deeply cultivate the market, with the advancement of model markets, ground promotion, and consumer engagement, thereby radiating and driving contiguous effects. Expand nationwide to form a point-to-area effect.
Editor's Note:
In 2017, the domestic functional drink market has unlimited development potential, and the successful case of Speed 8 Energy confirms that if you want to make waves in the functional drink market and get a share, the above factors are indispensable. If you are still hesitating in 2017 and want to find a truly long-term product, and don't know which functional drink to represent, why not try Speed 8 Energy, Lehu, and other brands that have been tested by the market and are relatively successful, which can help you avoid some detours!
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