---
title: "Latest | Red Bull Trademark Dispute: Thai Tiansi Makes a Move, New Red Bull® Anaji Appears!"
description: "The cross-year Red Bull trademark battle between Thai Tiansi Pharmaceutical and Huabin FMCG Group is set to escalate. Thai Tiansi has authorized a new Red Bull product, Red Bull® Anaji, which is expected to launch in early April, intensifying the conflict."
author: "肥鱼"
publisher: "New Distribution"
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published: "2018-03-27"
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# Latest | Red Bull Trademark Dispute: Thai Tiansi Makes a Move, New Red Bull® Anaji Appears!

> The cross-year Red Bull trademark battle between Thai Tiansi Pharmaceutical and Huabin FMCG Group is set to escalate. Thai Tiansi has authorized a new Red Bull product, Red Bull® Anaji, which is expected to launch in early April, intensifying the conflict.

The cross-year Red Bull trademark battle between Thai Tiansi Pharmaceutical and Huabin FMCG Group is set to escalate!
■ Author: Feiyu | Source: FMCG Elite Club
"This time, Thai Tiansi Pharmaceutical is really angry."
"If since the Red Bull trademark expired in October 2016, both sides have been negotiating and sparring, whether through legal action or public opinion, the mutual competition has had some impact on the market, but no matter how they fought, it hasn't harmed the Red Bull brand. However, in early February, Huabin launched a new promotion, and the protagonist was Zhanma, with Red Bull becoming a promotional prize, with a winning rate as high as 50%. Such reckless over-leveraging of brand influence is intolerable for Thai Tiansi, the brand owner, and they are bound to escalate countermeasures." An industry insider who wished to remain anonymous commented on the FMCG Elite Club after Huabin launched the new Zhanma promotion in February.
What is destined to come will eventually come.
Recently, the FMCG Elite Club exclusively obtained spy photos of a new Red Bull product authorized by Thai Tiansi Pharmaceutical from an insider. Feiyu sought confirmation from Thai Tiansi's Chinese PR agency contact, but received no reply by press time. According to insiders, the authorized Red Bull, originally scheduled for release in mid-March, may officially launch in early April.
**New Red Bull Appears, Named 'Anaji'**
From the photos, it's clear that the Tiansi version of Red Bull is 98% similar to the Huabin version: the same gold can, same specifications, same three-piece can, except the bottom line of the product name has changed from "Red Bull Vitamin Functional Drink" to "Red Bull® Anaji Drink." The ® is the registered trademark symbol, indicating a trademark that has been applied for and approved by the national authority, granting exclusive rights. It represents a brand or part of a brand that has obtained exclusive rights and is legally protected. Tiansi's version specifically marks this on the product, presumably to emphasize its authentic lineage. As for the health food mark, commonly known as the "blue hat," it is not found on Red Bull® Anaji.
It is understood that "Anaji" is the Chinese transliteration of the English word "energy," meaning energy in Chinese, so it's Red Bull Energy Drink. Interestingly, as a foreign company, how did Thai Tiansi manage to produce a Red Bull with a domestic barcode? After extensive investigation by the FMCG Elite Club, all information points to Guangzhou Yaonengliang Beverage Co., Ltd. Scanning the barcode on the can, Taobao displayed: 2015 Yaonengliang Functional Drink Avengers 2 Collector's Limited Edition Set. The China Article Numbering Center barcode shows: Red Bull® Anaji Drink, with the manufacturer listed as Guangzhou Yaonengliang Beverage Co., Ltd.
Mobile Taobao scan result page
China Article Numbering Center query result
However, upon verification, we found that Guangzhou Yaonengliang Beverage Co., Ltd. has no production facility of its own, and the Yaonengliang beverage project has long been liquidated. This means that the domestic operator authorized by Tiansi only purchased the barcode of a functional drink from Yaonengliang. According to reliable sources, the OEM factory for Red Bull® Anaji is Hefei Uni-President Enterprise Co., Ltd., and the mysterious Chinese operating company is located in Beijing. According to Tianyancha, this mysterious Beijing-based company has recently been recruiting sales personnel, and the work locations corroborate our investigation. As for why the launch was delayed, sources speculate the main reason is insufficient production capacity, which is expected to ease by April.
Recent recruitment info from a Beijing company (Source: Tianyancha)
As for taste, there are reports that the formula includes American ginseng, making it different from the original. However, Feiyu speculates that the taste will not differ much from the original Red Bull. Tiansi Pharmaceutical and the Chinese operator are well-versed in Chinese consumer taste preferences and will not risk changing the flavor. Instead, they will maximize the restoration of the Thai gold can Red Bull formula to differentiate it from the Huabin version currently on sale.
**Two Red Bulls: The Next Wanglaoji?**
Tiansi Pharmaceutical, represented by Xu Xinxiong, did two things last year: first, through their lawyers, they filed numerous lawsuits across the country against Yan Bin's three factories and some sales companies; second, they sued Orink Packaging, the largest can supplier for Huabin Red Bull, causing its shares to be suspended for several days. According to statistics, there were as many as 20 lawsuits between the two sides last year alone. At the same time, Tiansi used media to reveal many previously undisclosed "historical facts," drawing high industry and social attention to the matter, putting Huabin on the defensive.
In Huabin's view, this was tantamount to a complete breakdown, with no possibility of further negotiation. So from the second half of last year, Huabin began to de-emphasize Red Bull. On one hand, they maximized Red Bull sales to generate ample cash flow; on the other, they vigorously promoted their own brand, Zhanma.
"If it were you, you'd do the same. It's like a couple: no matter how they fight, it's fine, but once one side stops loving and trust is lost, divorce is inevitable. So it's better to secure an extra property for your own child. It's that simple," the aforementioned insider said.
The emergence of the Tiansi version of Red Bull inevitably reminds one of the seven-year war between Wanglaoji and JDB.
The packaging and decoration case between Wanglaoji and JDB ended with "shared packaging." Although superficially similar, there are fundamental differences between the Red Bull case and the Wanglaoji case. First, when JDB's trademark license expired, they stopped using the Wanglaoji trademark in accordance with the contract and law. In stark contrast, in the Red Bull case, Yan Bin's side continues to use the Red Bull trademark and produce and sell Red Bull drinks. Second, in the Red Bull case, the parties signed multiple agreements to ensure that Tiansi Pharmaceutical is the sole owner of the Red Bull trademark, patents, and all forms of intellectual property. In litigation, whether agreements were signed becomes the basis for court decisions, and the agreements themselves have legal effect. This means the Red Bull case will not result in a "shared packaging" verdict like JDB and Wanglaoji.
According to previous media reports, the earliest legal case will not be decided until June. Huabin still has the right to appeal to the Supreme Court. Therefore, for a long time to come, two Red Bulls—the newly authorized Red Bull® Anaji and the currently litigated Red Bull Vitamin Functional Drink—will compete head-on in the market.
**Channel Battle About to Begin**
At this point, no one doubts the split between Tiansi and Huabin. Amid last year's negotiation and renewal uncertainties, Huabin's actions have already made things clear: layoffs and downsizing, vigorous support for new products, and while expressing willingness to return to the negotiating table, their behind-the-scenes layout has been unfolding—maximizing brand monetization through promotions and delaying time through litigation rights.
What worries Tiansi most is that they are running out of cards, while the other side uses appeal rights to delay, watching helplessly as the opponent continues to deplete the Red Bull brand. In the market, Austrian Red Bull exists as an imported product, with negligible share in functional drink sales. Thai Tiansi now seems to understand that having a Red Bull product under their own control is the key; placing hope on the opponent is irresponsible. After half a year of operation, they now present this product to the public.
With a product in hand, Thai Tiansi can finally compete with Huabin in the market, especially in an era where channels still reign supreme. How to face Huabin, which has deeply cultivated the Chinese market for over 20 years? Thai Tiansi chose to rely on a domestic agent operator model, and that operator is the mysterious Beijing company mentioned earlier. Rumors say the company's senior management are former Huabin employees, very familiar with Red Bull's decades of operation, and hold extensive channel resources. It is rumored that they are currently poaching talent with salaries above the industry average.
With similar products and overlapping channels, how will both sides act? In Feiyu's view, Huabin has a solid distributor channel, and their bigger trump card is price discounts, because if the brand is destined not to be theirs, they will have no scruples—as seen by using Red Bull as a prize for Zhanma. On the other side, the Tiansi version has official authorization, can restore the most authentic taste, and the operating team is very familiar with existing channels. Therefore, both sides will simultaneously intensify their channel competition. At this critical juncture, Huabin must pay attention to quality control. Several readers have reported to Feiyu that the taste of 2018-produced Red Bull has changed significantly from before. If they can't maintain the formula and taste, they risk being labeled "inauthentic" under the attack of the Tiansi version. If this label spreads to consumers, no matter how cheap or discounted, they will be mercilessly abandoned by the market.
Back to reality: the Tiansi version of Red Bull is entering the pre-launch stage, and Huabin is also preparing for battle. But any link could suddenly change, altering the entire landscape. 2018 is a year of great uncertainty and black swan events. How both sides will act next and how events will develop, we will continue to monitor.
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