New Product Launches and Upgrades in 2020: What Do They Reveal?

"The whole year's work depends on a good start in spring." March has traditionally been the "product selection season" for the baijiu industry. However, due to the pandemic, the traditional spring糖酒会 was postponed, and in 2020, both manufacturers launching new products and merchants selecting products experienced a change of pace.

Notably, during this extraordinary period, strong brands such as Moutai, Wuliangye, Yanghe, Luzhou Laojiao, Langjiu, Gujing Gongjiu, Shede, Gutai, and Jinsha were all organizing or planning cloud launches of new products and product upgrades.

So, what new product directions do these launches and upgrades reveal? And how will they impact the market and merchants?

With an unusual start, what new products appeared in 2020?

The industry's pace in 2020 was affected by the pandemic. Driven by the needs of market breakthroughs, manufacturer planning, and merchant product selection, product launches and upgrades remained a hot topic. Various liquor companies were launching or planning new products:

Moutai recently launched four "Going Global" commemorative series: "Entering Russia • Moscow," "Entering Italy • Milan," "Entering Chile • Santiago," and "Entering Tanzania • Dar es Salaam."

It is reported that this Qinghua Lang commemorative edition continues the classic cultural heritage of "Everlasting Classics." It was blended in small batches by masters on February 2, 2020, and the product has distinct collectible value and commemorative significance.

Wuliangye Company focused on creating high-quality products to meet new consumption and new demands. The 70° Huopao original-strength small bottle, with a "five-fire" heat index, not only caters to fashion-conscious consumers' enthusiasm for extreme taste but also satisfies young consumers pursuing fashion.

Gujing, as a 72-degree, 100ml bottled baijiu, is a strategic move by Gujing Group to follow up on the 42-degree Gujing Xiaolei, targeting the mainstream market and redefining the new height of small bottled baijiu from famous distilleries. In terms of marketing model, unlike traditional small bottles, Gujing Xiaoleishen opened online reservations on platforms such as Tmall, JD.com, Suning, and Pinduoduo on the evening of February 26.

In terms of quality, this product is blended with aged liquor of over 6 years and over 15 years, resulting in a fuller aged aroma, more prominent flavor, smoother entry, and more comfortable after-drinking experience.

Zhaiyao (Four Great Classical Novels), Zhaiyao (Celebration Edition), and Jinsha Huisha Diamond Seven Stars are three new products grandly unveiled by Jinsha Wine Industry. Among them, Zhaiyao (Four Great Classical Novels) and Zhaiyao (Celebration Edition) are cultural creative sub-brands based on the high-end representative large single product Zhaiyao:

Zhaiyao (Four Great Classical Novels) uses the creative theme "Read classics, drink Zhaiyao," combining China's most representative classic masterpieces with Zhaiyao's book-shaped bottle, offering high cultural value and collectible attributes;

Zhaiyao (Celebration Edition) incorporates fireworks as a design element, symbolizing various festive, auspicious, grand, joyful, and enthusiastic scenes and moods, better catering to the currently hot celebration market demand;

Diamond Seven Stars starts with diamonds and five-pointed stars, with the bottle cap and shoulder treated with diamond-cut facets, symbolizing the enduring quality of the product crafted by time, further embedding the brand image and style of "Soft Jiang-flavor, Jinsha Huisha" into consumers' minds.

Moutai Bulao Wine "Yang, Ya, Qi"

Moutai Bulao Wine is about to launch three new series: "Yang," "Ya," and "Qi." The "Yang" series concept is "Natural wellness, enjoy longevity," the "Ya" series concept is "Quality life, savor life," and the "Qi" series concept is "Chant classics, pay tribute to legends." Once the "Yang, Ya, Qi" series hit the market, Moutai Bulao Wine will have six series competing in the market simultaneously, meeting consumers' differentiated and personalized needs.

Extraordinary New Products: What New Trends Do They Represent?

After reviewing these product launches and upgrades, we can feel that liquor companies are creating "extraordinary new products" with obvious characteristics of personalization, scenario-based marketing, and classicization. To some extent, this represents new ideas and directions for the industry to break through during extraordinary times. Specifically:

First, personalized commemorative editions have distinct labels in terms of value and market pricing. Examples include Moutai's "Going Global" series, Guojiao 1573's Sealing Ceremony Anniversary Wine, and Qinghua Lang's "Everlasting Classics" title-sponsorship commemorative edition.

These products emphasize design, limited release, and collectible value, highlighting their scarcity and prestige. For distributors, these are mainly operated by authorized dealers of famous brands, requiring high capital strength, channel resources, and group-buying customers.

Second, high-proof spirits have gained attention due to the pandemic. Wuliangye's 70° Huopao original-strength small bottle and Gujing's 72-degree Xiaoleishen fall into this category, meeting the "timely demand" for high-proof liquor during the pandemic.

As consumers, many are driven by health protection and curiosity, but this also places higher demands on liquor companies' production standards and quality thresholds, as they must ensure reliable quality and provide a good drinking experience.

Third, there are upgrades to advantageous main products, with Pinwei Shede, Guobiao Taiwan Wine, and Jinsha Zhaiyao as typical examples.

In fact, for liquor companies, whether launching new products or building core products, costs are increasing and risks are rising. In product thinking, many brands do not "launch new" without a foundation; instead, they tend to focus on competitive products, cultivate strategic large single products, "make strengths stronger," and maximize product life cycles.

Overall, behind these "extraordinary new products" are the latest brand movements during "extraordinary times." Whether creating high-value-added products with prominent selling points or upgrading and empowering main products, the goal is to strengthen brand value, raise product prices, continuously capture consumer mindshare, reinforce market recognition, and ultimately gain stronger strategic advantages and brand strength.