In 2025, China's beverage industry is caught in a 'prosperity anxiety': the market size exceeded 1.4 trillion yuan in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 8.5%. But distributors are finding it increasingly difficult to find good products.

Data shows that the number of new beverage SKUs launched in 2024 increased by 47% year-on-year, but over 60% of products have a lifecycle of less than six months. Meanwhile, over 80% of distributors report that 'the cost of trial and error in product selection is high' and 'agency risks are unbearable.'

Moreover, the Sugar & Wine Fair, which previously served as an efficient connector between manufacturers and distributors, has seen its once-leading 'comprehensive' model become an efficiency black hole in the era of product explosion—with mixed brands, inefficient matchmaking, and a lack of guarantees, leaving distributors with 'a day at the fair but little to show for it.'

Against this backdrop, the 2025 Pinyinhui Spring Beverage Theme Exhibition, held during the Chengdu Spring Sugar & Wine Fair, makes a grand appearance with a focus on 'precision, assurance, and efficiency.' Through three innovative solutions—the whole-site curated selection model, the Manufacturer-Distributor Assurance Plan, and precise channel matchmaking sessions—it directly addresses industry pain points, creating a 'zero-risk, high-value' product selection feast for distributors.

As Wen Zhibing, partner and director of the marketing operations department at Pinyinhui, puts it: 'We are not just organizing an exhibition; we are building an ecosystem where brands and channels win together.'

Struggling with product selection?

The whole-site curated selection model solves the 'kaleidoscope dilemma'

In 2024, China's beverage industry presented two major contradictions. On the supply side, there was an explosion: over 2,000 new beverage brands were launched throughout the year, with categories segmented into extreme scenarios like 'prune laxative water' and 'overnight ginseng tea.' On the demand side, there was confusion: 75% of distributors said they 'don't know how to judge product potential,' and 45% lost money due to selection errors.

One distributor complained to Pinyinhui: 'Last year, I took on an unsweetened tea brand. The manufacturer hyped it up, but it just didn't sell at the retail end. In the end, I lost 800,000 yuan clearing inventory.' Such stories are all too common in the industry.

Given this context, the 2025 Pinyinhui Spring Beverage Theme Exhibition launches the 'whole-site curated selection model' by inviting products that have been validated in national or regional markets, products with genuine differentiation in niche categories, and companies with a good reputation among distributors. Through an open and transparent process, it minimizes risks for distributors.

  • Selected product showcase China's leading fruit pulp juice brand—Pukou The pioneer of national organic ready-to-drink tea—Jinchen Tea The creator of the 'coconut+' category—Qinglan The top high-end low-temperature yogurt—Classy Kiss The national sales leader in 100% NFC mulberry juice—Baosangyuan The national sales leader in bottled red bean and coix seed water—Keyang The dark horse brand of the year on Douyin—Qingshang

In addition, there are over a hundred companies, including Chaxiaokai (ranked in the top 7 in the unsweetened tea market), Xiaoyangren (a leading brand in the Chinese fruit milk industry), Kalefu (ranked first in the pure fruit and vegetable juice bestseller list on Meituan Youxuan), Earl Coffee (a new force in ready-to-drink coffee), Koukouye (pioneering the 'Oriental Fresh Coconut' track), Zhengda Beverages (launching MIX honey water that is tasty, fun, and healthy), and Shenghetang (whose herbal series sells well in 38 countries worldwide).

(Listed in no particular order; continuously updated)

With its triple selection criteria and the philosophy of 'no curation, no entry,' Pinyinhui invites over 150 quality beverage brands to participate, creating the 2025 Chengdu Spring Sugar & Wine Fair beverage selection event.

Worried about unsold stock?

The 'Assurance Plan' rebuilds the trust bond between manufacturers and distributors

In the traditional distribution model, distributors bear the vast majority of the risk of unsold products.

Especially as the beverage market enters 'stock competition,' unsold inventory has become a problem many distributors must face. However, over 70% of brands have no return policy for unsold products, leaving distributors to discount and dispose of them at their own loss.

One distributor said: 'When signing the contract, they call you brother; when products don't sell, they're nowhere to be found.' Therefore, 'resisting new product selection and distrusting companies' has become the primary issue between distributors and companies.

To this end, Pinyinhui, together with participating brands, launches the industry's first 'Manufacturer-Distributor Assurance' plan, promising after-sales support for first-order unsold stock, completely reshaping the risk-sharing rules and safeguarding distributors throughout the process.

General Manager Liu of Shandong Jiyou Supply Chain said that the 'Assurance Plan' initiated by Pinyinhui gives distributors like him, who seek high-margin products, a 'peace of mind,' making him more confident in cooperating with manufacturers and no longer worrying about after-sales issues.

In addition, General Manager Guo of Shenzhen Yongyantai Trading also commented on the plan, saying that the 'Assurance Plan' not only promotes cooperation between distributors and companies but also sets a good example for the positive development of the beverage industry, worthy of learning from by all industry practitioners.

Inefficient matchmaking?

Precise hall division solves 'exhibition fatigue'

As the 'barometer' of China's food industry, the National Sugar & Wine Fair is one of the oldest large-scale professional exhibitions in China.

According to statistics, this year's fair has more than 20 participating hotels, stretching from the North Railway Station in the north to Century City in the south. Not only are there numerous exhibitors and product types, but distributors also easily lose their way when searching for target products, with 90% reporting 'a day at the fair, but can't remember the highlights.'

Therefore, based on the core pain point of 'mismatched matching' in traditional exhibitions, the 2025 Pinyinhui Spring Beverage Theme Exhibition has specially planned multiple channel matchmaking sessions to achieve more efficient and precise communication between manufacturers and distributors.

  • Catering channel product selection matchmaking session In recent years, the catering industry has shown a steady growth trend. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, national catering revenue reached 4.8 trillion yuan in 2023, a year-on-year increase of over 10%. In addition, the post-pandemic health awareness has prompted more consumers to choose healthy eating habits, providing an opportunity for promoting healthy beverages in the catering channel.

Given the characteristics of the catering channel, Pinyinhui will invite brands such as Pukou, Fanxiaoqi, and other quality brands suitable for catering scenarios to participate in the product selection matchmaking session. These brands offer products that not only meet diverse needs but also adapt to immediacy and social attributes, ensuring distributors can find products that best meet market demand.

  • Chain supermarket channel product selection matchmaking session Chain supermarkets are not only an important part of the retail industry but also a key battlefield for beverage companies to showcase brand momentum and increase terminal sales, and they have become a stable 'cash cow' for distributors.

For this channel, Pinyinhui will focus on inviting brands with brand competitiveness, outstanding packaging aesthetics, and excellent quality and reputation, such as Jinchen Tea, Qingshang, Koukouye, Chaxiaokai, Kalefu, Classy Kiss, Keyang, and Baihua Town. Through this screening mechanism, distributors can select the most suitable products for chain supermarket sales.

From March 20 to 24, the 2025 Pinyinhui Spring Beverage Theme Exhibition will officially open at the Crowne Plaza Chengdu City Center, providing distributors with a precise, efficient, and convenient product selection platform. All distributors are welcome to visit and learn.

(Click the image below to register)