Less than two months after the successful return of the Shenzhou-13 crewed spacecraft, the China Manned Space Agency website announced that the Shenzhou-14 spacecraft was launched on June 5. 2022 is a busy year for China's space program and the fifth year that Master Kong has adhered to its space strategy. Since becoming a 'China Space Industry Partner' in 2017, Master Kong has integrated the space strategy into its business operations, holding itself to space standards and adhering to 'space quality.' This commitment is ultimately reflected in Master Kong's impressive market performance: According to Nielsen data, in 2021, in the instant noodle industry, Master Kong held a 45.7% share of the market by volume and 48.0% by value, ranking first in both volume and value market share. As an industry observer, from Master Kong's 'space strategy,' I see Master Kong's adherence to 'product, innovation, and responsibility.' This is also the key to Master Kong's recognition by China's space program, its ability to cross the 'brand cycle,' and its continued leadership in the industry. Crossing the Time Cycle: Persisting in Empowering Distributors with Good Products What is a time cycle? In the FMCG field, I believe the time cycle is the transformation and iteration of distribution channels. China's FMCG distribution channel transformation, starting from the 1990s, has undergone several major changes. From the early department stores and small shops, to the rise of KA stores, to the booming development of e-commerce, to the current omni-channel market layout of online and offline. A careful review reveals that although the protagonist of each distribution channel transformation is different, there is one role that participates every time: the distributor. In traditional FMCG distribution channels, distributors are a key link connecting producers and consumers, always carrying extremely important value. The channels are changing, but the importance of distributors has not changed. Master Kong knows this well, so it has always upheld the concept of 'being responsible to distributors,' growing and progressing together with them. Including becoming a 'China Space Industry Partner' is, in a sense, also empowering distributors through two levels: 'quality' and 'selling points.' 【Products Have Good Quality】 In the past year, I have communicated with dozens of distributors about how to select products. The methods summarized vary, such as good packaging, good taste, etc. But there is one point that is the consensus of all distributors: the quality of the product must be good. Only products of good quality can generate repeat purchases and sustain business. Master Kong understands this well. Its products are benchmarked against space quality. From raw material selection to production, there are dozens of processes with precise control. Finished products undergo multiple quality inspections and stability tests, as well as very scientific and strict full traceability system management, before they are finally given to distributors. 【Products Have Good Selling Points】 Theoretically, any product can find a dozen or even more selling points, but the selling points that truly move consumers must be scarce. For food and beverages, 'safety and health' has always been an important selling point. However, because most brands talk about this selling point, it lacks scarcity. Master Kong's cleverness lies here: by benchmarking against 'space standards,' it outputs the 'safety and health' selling point while making it more scarce. Space is the most cutting-edge technology, representing the most rigorous system design, the highest precision quality, and the most stringent safety guarantees. As a 'space industry partner,' Master Kong benchmarks its product safety and health against 'space standards,' which not only improves food safety management but also makes it easier to win consumer trust. For distributors, when a brand is willing to empower them, they naturally have confidence in and loyalty to the brand. This is why Master Kong is trusted by distributors and its distribution channels remain stable. Crossing the Consumption Cycle: Persisting in Winning Consumers with Innovation In the time cycle, Master Kong has stabilized its channels. So, in the consumption cycle, how does Master Kong win consumers? In the past few decades, China's consumption cycle has undergone four changes. The first was the product era, when materials were relatively scarce, and the core of competition was producing more products. The second was the channel era, when people looked for goods, and products placed on shelves naturally generated sales. The third was the brand era, when brands occupied the market with mind share, and consumers shifted from people looking for goods to people searching for goods, gradually forming brand awareness. In these three consumption cycles, Master Kong took the lead in product innovation based on consumption changes. For example, it was the first to add a fork to bowl noodles, the first to add double seasoning packets to instant noodles, the first in the industry to introduce the ISO9002 quality certification system, and the first to use FD freeze-drying technology for vegetable packets... Now is the consumer era. The information revolution brought by the Internet has enhanced consumers' ability to understand products, and consumers have begun to take the lead. Unlike the previous three cycles, innovation in the consumer era has changed. In the past, it was feedback-based innovation, where the brand had a seller's mindset, and innovation came after consumer experience feedback. But now it is demand-based innovation, where the brand has a buyer's mindset, needing to gain insights into consumers, pay attention to what problems consumers need to solve, and make product innovations in advance based on consumer needs. For example, Master Kong has gained insights into consumers' differentiated needs and innovated in flavors, launching various new sub-categories and flavors, such as Gan Mian Hui, Korean Spicy Beef, Tomato and Egg Noodles, etc. It has gained insights into the need for health and nutrition and innovated in technology, such as transforming space technology for civilian use, and using RP technology in the beef packet of Suda Noodle House, etc. Each insight and innovation about consumers is essentially about meeting the diverse and personalized needs of consumers. The reason Master Kong has been loved by consumers for many years is inseparable from its insight into consumer needs and its continuous product iteration and innovation. Crossing the Market Cycle: Persisting in Nurturing the Brand with Responsibility The market cycle of a brand can be understood as the brand's life cycle. The introduction stage is the budding stage, when consumers have no awareness of the brand; the growth stage is the exploration stage, with the core being cultivating users and product iteration; the maturity stage is the stable stage, when consumers have a sense of identity and trust in the brand; the decline stage is the degeneration stage, gradually exiting the market. A brand that can maintain a mature state for a long time must have value truly recognized by consumers. From this dimension, Master Kong's 'space strategy' is also a process of value shaping. By holding a series of activities such as space science exhibitions, space experience camps, and space science lectures in schools, it allows consumers to get close to space while generating recognition of the brand. Since 2017, under the guidance of the space power strategy, Master Kong has carried out food safety knowledge and space science popularization activities in multiple cities across the country. To date, the series of activities have reached more than 500,000 students, held nearly 100 space expert lectures, and through digital technology, connected online and offline, helping thousands of teenagers establish space dreams. From this series of actions, it can be seen that Master Kong, which is in the brand maturity stage, has always adhered to 'nurturing the brand with responsibility.' Its deep cooperation with the space program reflects the responsibility and commitment of a national brand. At the same time, by organically combining space with its own brand culture, it enhances consumers' awareness of both brands, ultimately achieving a 'win-win' situation. In Conclusion: Brand longevity is not achieved overnight. On its path forward, Master Kong has chosen a difficult but correct path—adhering to 'product, innovation, and responsibility' and being a leader that crosses cycles. 'Dare to climb, dare to surpass' is not only the spirit of China's space program but also the creed of Master Kong's firm progress on this path. I believe that under the guidance of the space strategy, Master Kong will go further in the future. Are you 'watching' me?