---
title: "Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Emerges as a New Star, 2017 Battle on the Horizon!"
description: "Lactic acid bacteria water emerged as a new category in 2016, with products from major players like Uni-President, Junyao, and Suntory. The market is expected to see intense competition in 2017 as companies vie for dominance in this new segment."
author: "New Distribution"
publisher: "New Distribution"
email: "zhaobo258@gmail.com"
telephone: "+8615854817671"
published: "2017-02-02"
language: "en"
canonical: "https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/lactic-acid-bacteria-water-emerges-as-a-new-star-2017-battle-on-the-hori-5ef821f7/"
markdown: "https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/lactic-acid-bacteria-water-emerges-as-a-new-star-2017-battle-on-the-hori-5ef821f7.md"
original_source: "https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/qAxJ_vir2hhA0Ss5F8f9iw"
translation: "https://xinjignxiao.com/zh/articles/%E4%B9%B3%E9%85%B8%E8%8F%8C%E6%B0%B4%E6%88%90%E4%B8%BA%E6%96%B0%E7%A7%80-2017%E5%A4%A7%E6%88%98%E4%B8%80%E8%A7%A6%E5%8D%B3%E5%8F%91-5ef821f7.md"
attribution: "New Distribution — https://xinjignxiao.com/en/articles/lactic-acid-bacteria-water-emerges-as-a-new-star-2017-battle-on-the-hori-5ef821f7/"
usage_policy: "https://xinjignxiao.com/ai-policy.txt"
---

# Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Emerges as a New Star, 2017 Battle on the Horizon!

> Lactic acid bacteria water emerged as a new category in 2016, with products from major players like Uni-President, Junyao, and Suntory. The market is expected to see intense competition in 2017 as companies vie for dominance in this new segment.

****Click to read the original article for details****
Speaking of lactic acid bacteria, Yakult can be regarded as the originator of lactic acid bacteria drinks. Introduced to China in 2001, it now sells an average of 5.59 million bottles per day in China. According to Kantar Worldpanel, after three consecutive years of double-digit sales growth from 2011 to 2014, low-temperature lactic acid bacteria beverages experienced their first negative growth in 2015. Meanwhile, ambient lactic acid bacteria drinks rose rapidly, winning over consumers with their easy preservation, longer shelf life, and good taste.
Among ambient lactic acid bacteria products, lactic acid bacteria water, as a new star in 2016, deserves attention. As a major subcategory of lactic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria water can be summarized as "water, bacteria, and benefit." Here, "bacteria" refers to lactic acid bacteria. Water plus lactic acid bacteria plus health benefits is a brief analysis of this category. The combination of "water + lactic acid bacteria = lactic acid bacteria water" differs from the lactic acid bacteria beverages on the market, catering to consumers' pursuit of richer flavors, while "benefit" serves as the health endorsement, laying the foundation for the category's differentiation.
2016 was the year when the concept and positioning of lactic acid bacteria water became increasingly clear. We can see that lactic acid bacteria water on the market can be divided into two types: one fermented from whey protein and the other from milk powder. The two types differ greatly in appearance and taste—whey protein-fermented products are transparent, represented by Uni-President's Shui Quduo, Wushang's Shui Wei Meng (water version), and Suntory's Qin Ru Shui, with a taste close to water and relatively refreshing; while milk powder-fermented products, represented by Xiaoyang's Lactate, Junyao's Qin Yin, Wushang's Shui Wei Meng (meng version), and Tongyuan's Zhiyi Lactic Acid Bacteria Water, have a sweet and sour taste closer to lactic acid bacteria.
**Pioneer of the Domestic Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Category**
**Xiaoyang Lactate**
When it comes to lactic acid bacteria water, many think it is a new category that appeared in 2016, but as early as November 2015, Haocaitou launched its new product Xiaoyang Lactate. With the slogan "light exercise" and the value of "better taste, more thirst-quenching, more happiness," the product was positioned as a "sports drink," aiming to become a hit in 2016. However, a closer look at the product label reveals that although it is defined as a sports drink, it has two main features: "high-concentration lactic acid bacteria fermented beverage base" and "Australian snow crystal salt." The first ingredient indicates its lactic acid bacteria water nature, and it can even be seen as a pioneer in the domestic lactic acid bacteria water category, distinguishing it from other sports drinks. However, Xiaoyang Lactate, as a unique "fermented sports drink," did not highlight its "easier digestion and absorption" value, nor did it emphasize "fermented sports drink" or "lactic acid bacteria water" as product features, wasting the value of a good product.
**Big Players Lead the Way, Breaking the Original Lactic Acid Bacteria Market Pattern**
**Uni-President Shui Quduo**
At the end of March 2016, Uni-President's Shui Quduo was first launched at FamilyMart convenience stores in Shanghai, and then rolled out nationwide in May. In terms of taste, although Shui Quduo looks transparent like water, its taste is similar to yogurt, giving the water a slight yogurt flavor and saying goodbye to blandness. The "fun" in Shui Quduo lies in the fermented whey protein liquid made from Lactobacillus LV108 from Bama, China's longevity village, using whey protein as the fermentation base. As a true lactic acid bacteria water, Shui Quduo officially entered the market, breaking the fixed pattern of previous lactic acid bacteria drinks. With its simple and unique design and distinctive concept, it became a refreshing force in the lactic acid bacteria subcategory and opened the door to domestic lactic acid bacteria water.
**Dairy Companies Lead the Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Trend**
**Wei Dongli "Qin Yin"**
As a long-established domestic dairy company, Junyao also joined the lactic acid bacteria water battle in 2016, following the trend. In early May, Junyao Group Shanghai Food Co., Ltd. launched its new product Qin Yin lactic acid bacteria water, available in original and lemon flavors. The Qin Yin series focuses on a "health card": 0 fat, no preservatives or artificial colors, with added Fruitflow to promote healthy blood flow and γ-aminobutyric acid to relieve tension and relax the mind. Junyao leveraged its own advantages in lactic acid bacteria fermentation to attack the lactic acid bacteria water category. With the entry of Uni-President and Junyao, the foundation for the development of lactic acid bacteria water in 2016 was laid.
**New Lactic Acid Bacteria Brands Join the Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Battle**
**Wushang Shui Wei Meng**
Domestic lactic acid bacteria sales are mostly dominated by powerful dairy companies. Wushang, as a new brand in ambient lactic acid bacteria, launched its lactic acid bacteria water Shui Wei Meng in early July 2016, with the unique positioning of "not competing with beverages, only comparing with plain water." Within two months of launch, it achieved market sales of 2 million boxes, becoming the dark horse of the year's beverage market. Through its high-value packaging, unique positioning, and cute care, Shui Wei Meng precisely targeted its consumer group. With the claim of "helping you rub your belly," it fully utilized the functionality and charm of lactic acid bacteria water, becoming a new brand in the lactic acid bacteria water battle and showing sufficient potential.
**Inheriting the "Qin" Series, Highlighting "Real Ingredients"**
**Suntory Qin Ru Shui**
Next to join the battle was Suntory (China), which mainly operates a comprehensive beverage business in China. At the end of July 2016, it launched its lactic acid bacteria water Qin Ru Shui. Suntory leveraged the popularity and brand power accumulated by Qin Ning Shui among consumers to launch Qin Ru Shui, inheriting the "Qin" series and specifically claiming to use 10 times the "whey fermentation liquid" and imported honey juice. With the highlight of "real ingredients," it challenged the lactic acid bacteria water on the market. Since the launch of Qin Ning Shui in 2014, Suntory's "Qin" series has adopted a steady approach, launching one new product each year. In 2016, it launched this lactic acid bacteria water just four months after Qin Ping Shui, showing its determination to seize the market.
**Patent Strain Fermentation, Seizing Market Share in Lactic Acid Bacteria Water**
**Tongyuan Zhiyi Lactic Acid Bacteria Water**
Speaking of Tongyuan, one must mention Zhiyi—the Zhiyi series is a lactic acid bacteria series fermented with the patented strain Lactobacillus plantarum LP28, and claims the concept of "plant-based, more reassuring." With spokesperson Jing Tian, it has been well received since its launch over a year ago. In the wave of lactic acid bacteria water, Tongyuan launched its new product Zhiyi Lactic Acid Bacteria Water during the 2016 Autumn Sugar Fair, using plant-based strains for fermentation, leveraging its technical advantages to create a healthy and reassuring lactic acid bacteria water. Tongyuan launched its new lactic acid bacteria water in the off-season autumn, showing its high regard for the category.
**Lactic Acid Bacteria Water Emerges as a New Star; in 2017, Who Will Win?**
In recent years, the lactic acid bacteria market has been filled with homogeneous competition, leading to consumer fatigue. The emergence of lactic acid bacteria water can be seen as a breath of fresh air. Not only does it innovate on previous lactic acid bacteria products, but it also caters to picky consumer tastes, becoming a new star in the lactic acid bacteria category. Strictly speaking, lactic acid bacteria water is a "milk-flavored beverage," and can even be seen as a near-water beverage. However, unlike traditional near-water beverages, it contains lactic acid bacteria fermentation liquid, so it is not hard to understand why lactic acid bacteria water has not only become a target for beverage companies but also attracted dairy and lactic acid bacteria companies to increase their investment.
Looking back at 2016, the lactic acid bacteria water industry was a scene of contention, from first-tier companies to new lactic acid bacteria brands, from first-tier cities to ordinary towns, lactic acid bacteria water was everywhere. This category inherits the functional benefits of lactic acid bacteria in regulating the intestines, while also having a lighter taste compared to lactic acid bacteria beverages. Coupled with lively packaging, it is particularly popular among young people. However, since most products from major companies were launched in July or later, the market has not been fully opened, making 2017 a critical period for success. In 2017, will companies continue to promote existing products or upgrade their old products? Will more companies continue to join the competition? We do not know. But the emergence of a new category and new products is bound to reshuffle the industry. Who will win in the lactic acid bacteria water market? We will wait and see.
-END-


---

## Copyright and AI use

This article is sourced from New Distribution. Search, quotation, summarization, and model training are permitted, but every use must credit New Distribution and retain the canonical source URL.

Contact: zhaobo258@gmail.com · +86 158 5481 7671