China has numerous vinegar manufacturers, with nearly 6,000 production enterprises. The national annual output of vinegar is about 3 million tons, with the largest enterprise producing only about 270,000 tons per year, accounting for merely 10% of the national total. The industry concentration is low, and competition is intense.

From the Four Famous Vinegars to the North-South Divide

When discussing the development of the vinegar industry, one cannot avoid mentioning the 'Four Famous Vinegars' that the Chinese people take pride in. As an industry with distinct Chinese characteristics, it boasts a long and glorious history. The continuation of traditional techniques and the enhancement of cultural background have earned the vinegar industry a prestigious reputation internationally. Among these, the 'Four Famous Vinegars' are outstanding representatives of regional vinegar products.

Of the Four Famous Vinegars, the southern vinegar systems occupy three seats. However, in the current market development, Shanxi's aged vinegar, represented by brands such as Donghu, Shuita, and Zilin, has gradually taken the mainstream position. Among the three famous southern vinegars, the only one that can compete with the representative brands of Shanxi aged vinegar is Hengshun, the representative brand of Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar. Therefore, the distribution and market layout of the Four Famous Vinegars have gradually evolved into a rivalry between the northern and southern schools.

Below is an introduction to China's Four Famous Vinegars and their representative brands:

  1. Shanxi Aged Vinegar Process: It inherits the traditional brewing technique, using high-quality sorghum, barley, and peas as raw materials. The entire production process involves five steps: steaming, fermentation, smoking,淋 (filtering), and sun-drying, without any chemical catalysts, relying entirely on natural biological fermentation. Key characteristics: Clear in appearance, dark purple in color, renowned for its color, aroma, purity, richness, and acidity. It does not require a shelf life label, and only vinegar with an acidity of 6 degrees can be called authentic aged vinegar. Representative brands: Donghu, Shuita, Zilin

  2. Zhenjiang Aromatic Vinegar Process: Using high-quality glutinous rice as the main raw material, it employs unique processing techniques, undergoing three major processes: alcohol fermentation, acetic fermentation, and leaching, involving over forty steps and taking 50-60 days to brew. Key characteristics: Sour but not astringent, dark in color and fresh in taste, it becomes more mellow with age. Compared to Shanxi vinegar, the most distinctive feature of Zhenjiang aromatic vinegar is its slight sweetness. Representative brand: Hengshun

  3. Sichuan Bran Vinegar (Baoning Vinegar) Process: Bran vinegar is fermented mainly from bran, wheat, and rice, with the addition of over seventy precious Chinese medicinal herbs that strengthen the spleen and protect the stomach, such as amomum, eucommia bark, cloves, and nutmeg, for making the fermentation starter. It also uses clear and sweet spring water. Key characteristics: Dark brown in color, fragrant, strongly acidic, clear in appearance without turbidity, and can be stored for a long time without spoiling. It is the only medicinal vinegar and is known as the 'Oriental Magic Vinegar'. Representative brand: Baoning

  4. Fujian Red Yeast Aged Vinegar Process: It is made from high-quality glutinous rice, red yeast, and sesame, using a method of adding ingredients in batches, liquid fermentation, and aging for more than three years before refinement. Key characteristics: Brownish-black or amber in color, warm in nature, sour but not astringent, with a sweet undertone, and can be stored for a long time without spoiling, possessing a pleasant aroma. Representative brand: Yongchun Aged Vinegar

As shown in the figure below, the distribution of major vinegar brands nationwide has evolved into two schools: the northern and the southern.

Northern School: Donghu's Cultural Creation and Manufacturer-Dealer Cooperation Create a Regional Leader

Traditional cultural branding and win-win cooperation between manufacturers and dealers have accelerated the development of the Donghu brand.

As the core brand of Shanxi Aged Vinegar Group, Donghu Vinegar has built its own vinegar culture industrial park—Donghu Vinegar Garden—to fully display the traditional vinegar culture to consumers. At the same time, Donghu has registered its brand abroad and positioned it as a flagship brand that exclusively sells Shanxi aged vinegar in market operations and brand building.

Lu Yang, general manager of Shenyang Sun Foods and a seasoned distributor in the condiment industry, revealed: 'In the increasingly competitive market, Donghu actively works hand in hand with distributors to make progress together. In some core sales regions, Donghu has set up offices within distributors' companies, bringing services directly to them. This approach alleviates distributors' concerns and enables timely handling of market emergencies. The cooperation between manufacturers and dealers has driven the rapid development of the Donghu brand, making it a flagship brand of the northern vinegar school.'

Southern School: Hengshun Follows the Market and Stabilizes Regional Layout, Staying Half a Step Ahead

In the southern vinegar school, Hengshun is undoubtedly the leading brand. As the first listed vinegar company in China, Hengshun possesses advanced market development strategies and is far ahead of its peers in product innovation and market operations. Hengshun Vinegar Industry divides the national market into three categories: mature markets (East China) require control down to the township level; growth markets (Henan, Jiangxi, Hubei, Guangdong, and Guangxi) require control down to the county level; and cultivation markets (Northeast and Northwest) require control down to the prefecture-level city. Hengshun currently produces nearly 300,000 tons annually, ranking first in the industry.

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