Specialty instant coffee is creating a sophisticated lifestyle for young people.
Author | Liu yi
Edit | Shi Can
Wu Yue recalled his junior year of high school, and the pressure atmosphere of further education filled the silent evening self-study classroom. The familiar "roast duck flavor" after Nestlé's three-in-one brew is always pervasive in the crowded space and is difficult to dissipate.
For a long time, in the hearts of Wu Yue and many consumers, instant coffee is a nestlé three-in-one for one dollar.
But now, when consumers search for instant coffee on the e-commerce platform, domestic brands such as Santo and a Half, Yongpu, Shicui, sumidachuan and other domestic brands have completely suppressed nestlé's limelight, and have paved the search page with product names such as cold brew coffee liquid and freeze-dried coffee powder, giving consumers more choices.
In order to distinguish nestlé from the three-in-one, a new generation of instant coffee brands such as Santo and a Half and Yongpu have positioned themselves as boutique instant coffee in an attempt to redefine instant coffee.
This article will explore how boutique instant coffee has broken consumers' inherent cognition at a time when new consumer brands are mushrooming. How is "fine product" embodied?
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="17" > pay attention to convenience and quality</h1>
Nestlé entered the Chinese market in 1989 with the launch of three-in-one instant coffee, earlier than Starbucks, to deliver the brand concept of "starting with Nescafe today and awakening a better day".
But if you look at the ingredient list of Nestlé's three-in-one coffee, it seems to run counter to quality life. Phytolipids, glucose syrup, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, stabilizers (E340ii, E452i), sodium caseinate (milk protein), emulsifier (E471), anti-caking agent (E551), food coloring...
These chemicals account for nearly 90% of the ingredients, but only 10% of the coffee powder using Robusta coffee beans. Some, and only after brewing with hot water, these chemicals have the taste of "milk" but mask the flavor of the coffee.
But Nestlé triad also has no intention of competing with Starbucks and other freshly ground coffee brands for the market of quality coffee, due to the use of Robusta coffee beans, this caffeine content of the bean species, Nestlé tri-in-one refreshing effect will be much stronger than the use of Arabica beans of freshly ground coffee, truly achieved the effect of "life extension", to meet the convenient and fast, refreshing needs at a low price is the natural attribute of Nestlé triad instant coffee.
However, the convenience and speed level is limited by the ability to brew only with hot water, and consumers can only have a steaming cup of instant coffee, which after cooling, the taste of stickiness will be unacceptable.
As a result, the disadvantages of nestlé's three-in-one are obvious, after adding too many chemical ingredients, the flavor and health of coffee are greatly reduced, and at the same time, it is not really convenient and instant.
Even if the consumers of instant coffee know it, the price of one dollar and the scarcity of category choices on the market have caused a long-term instant coffee market and Nestlé is a dominant situation.
According to Euromonitor International, in 2017, Nestlé's market share in the field of instant coffee accounted for 72.3%, and Maxwell, who ranked second, was only 3.1%. On the shelves of supermarkets, nescafe's area is also in the dust.
In the summer of 2018, the emerging brand in Changsha released a new product of cold brew instant coffee, the design of the mini takeaway cup is easy to carry; the application of cold extraction technology dissolved in ice water and ice milk in 3 seconds breaks through the limitations of hot water brewing; and the ingredients of pure natural, additive-free Arabica coffee powder are closer to the authentic flavor of fine freshly ground coffee.
From its inception, the new generation of instant coffee brands has taken a new path different from Nestlé's three-in-one.
At present, on the Tmall store page of Yongpu and Santomo, some professional words and sayings, such as "cold extraction super instant", "temperature control and heat extraction", "lock fresh canning technology", "FD (aviation freeze-drying technology)", "Yongpu's unique MPFS (Micro-porous Filter System microporous filtration system) 8-hour ice drop fresh extraction", presenting a delicate instant coffee production process, which not only reflects its own professional reliability, but also implicitly expresses the complex production process. Will be convenient to give consumers the mind.
Yongpu's introduction to its extraction process
At the same time, the flavor of coffee and the degree of roasting of coffee beans are highlighted, giving consumers more choices. Consumers can choose from shallow roasting with "floral and fruit aroma and ripe apple sweetness" or deep roasting with "cocoa and cream flavor" according to their preferences.
The origin of coffee beans is also directly emphasized, and many brands have their own coffee factories and coffee industry chains in addition to their own coffee bean production bases. Founded in 2014, Yongpu currently has its own coffee estate in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica and the Nu River basin of Yunnan.
The new generation of instant coffee has been significantly upgraded at the level of convenience and speed, and it also hopes to leave consumers with the impression of being close to boutique freshly ground coffee. This deep innovation in the product shook Nescafe's throne.
In the first wave of Tmall Double Eleven sales period in 2020, the sales of three and a half meals on November 1 ranked first in the instant coffee category, and the sales of Yongpu were the first in the instant coffee liquid category, while the three and a half meals and Yongpu were less than 3 years old in Tmall. This momentum has been going on for some time, and in 2018, the double twelve won the second place in the whole coffee category, second only to Nestlé, and in 2019, double eleven surpassed Nestlé and became the first brand in the coffee category.
In the capital market, brands such as Sando and Half, Yongpu and Sumida Chuan have also gained enough favor. In June 2021, Yongpu completed more than 50 million yuan of A+ round financing; in March 2021, Sumida Chuan completed a Series B financing of 300 million yuan; and from January 2019 to June 2021, Santo completed five rounds of financing in succession, with a valuation of 4.5 billion.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="123" > new consumer brand "bundled" with coffee</h1>
With the general trend of consumption upgrading, ordinary black coffee or lattes can no longer fully meet the hearts of this year's consumers.
This summer, the niche fruit "battle" of the new tea brand has taken off, and the trend of "inner volume" can be seen. Coffee is also gradually "abandoning" its ace partner milk and forming another "new love".
Since luckin launched the raw coconut latte, coconut drinks have created a summer of "coconut wind and sea charm", and have also become the new "wealth code" of major tea and coffee shops.
Netizens with eye poison found that the thick coconut milk used by Luckin backstage to make raw coconut lattes was the Fino brand. When the raw coconut latte continued to sell out and a cup was difficult to find, social media platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Douban blew up a boom of reproducing raw coconut lattes.
Fino, a coconut milk manufacturer originally for B-end customers, unexpectedly harvested C-end consumers in the summer of "coconut is king", becoming a popular omni-channel big item this year.
In June 2021, Sales of the Fino Tmall flagship store increased by 394% year-on-year. Since the B-end product is a large package of 1L, it is not convenient to save at home, so Fino launched a 200ml thick coconut milk mini package "for friends who like homemade coffee", and gave the way to prepare raw coconut latte: thick coconut milk mini + ice cube + espresso liquid / freeze-dried coffee powder.
Fino thick coconut milk mini
If high-calorie, high-sugar thick coconut milk still conforms to the trend of "coffee milk tea", oat milk, which is also plant-based protein, seems to be more suitable for the healthy lifestyle advocated by coffee.
In addition to freshly ground coffee brands, they have launched the option of +1 yuan for oat milk, and introduced new coffee with oat milk drinks, and instant coffee brands such as Santo and Yongpu have also promoted a healthier lifestyle through oat milk brand cooperation, joint branding and bundling.
The three half-day cat flagship store launched the "special benefits for members", the whole field paid 200 free OAT brand oat milk 12 bottles, its basic ash can is in the introduction page directly said, more recommended to use oat milk, make oat latte coffee.
Yongpu cooperated with the hot oat milk brand OATLY Tomeli to bundle and sell its espresso black coffee stock solution, playing a slogan of "creating a good mood for oat lattes anytime and anywhere".
In addition to milk, instant coffee has also begun to pay attention to preparation. On the product introduction page, the new generation of instant coffee brands will give a variety of combinations.
Mingqian ice drop coffee liquid is officially recommended for advanced drinking
In addition, the joint branding with new consumer brands in the beverage track also shows the inclusive nature of the new generation of instant coffee "anything is available".
In November 2020, Sandan and a Half and the new tea brand from Changsha launched a limited-edition co-brand gift box, and opened a co-branded beverage shop in Changsha, giving the co-branded drink a very Changsha-specific name "Sanmaotuo", which is a little cute in Changsha dialect.
Yongpu and low-grade wine brand Berry Sweetheart launched the "cold extract latte coffee wine", which seems to be a wonderful combination of products that seem to be innovative, but in fact, the field of blended coffee has long had a classic combination of "coffee + Bailey Sweet".
Image source Taobao page
In the process of modulation, the proportion of coffee is reduced, the difference between quality and freshly ground coffee is further narrowed, consumers at home, office and any other scene, with a price of a few dollars can also have a cup of special coffee with the same type of offline coffee shop. At this level, boutique instant coffee already has the qualification to compete with offline freshly ground coffee brands.
<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" data-track="124" > create a sophisticated lifestyle for young people? </h1>
Instant coffee brands such as Santo and a Half and Yongpu have a history of boutique and niche freshly ground coffee.
Santo started out as a boutique coffee shop in Changsha, a member of the World Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), and the first product on the road to e-commerce is also a more advanced coffee bean. Uncle Tin, the founder of Yongpu, worked at Mingqian Coffee, a Shanghai-based specialty coffee brand, for four years, and he is also a member of the World Specialty Coffee Association and a CQI Q-Grader (Certified Coffee Quality Appraiser of the International Society of Coffee Quality).
These brands clearly know how to create a refined lifestyle.
Eclipse Ji, which has cooperated with Yongpu several times, is a content e-commerce brand that advocates a slow pace, and chooses to be co-branded with Eclipse Ji one after another, precisely because this "slow" attitude to life is exactly in line with Yongpu's brand tone: coffee originally needs to be carefully tasted and slowly tasted.
In May this year, Sandun launched the "Project &" lifestyle series, uniting six brands such as Republic of China and Keep to design themed products and activities from outdoor, parent-child, sports, workplace, culture and other diversified scenes. This expresses the ambition of three and a half meals to appear in various scenes and integrate into the new way of life of young people.
Three and a half tons & series
Three and a half meals and Yongpu, which made their fortune in e-commerce, also pay special attention to offline interaction with consumers and coffee lovers. In addition to the program of recycling empty bottles in exchange for souvenirs, it showcases the eco-friendly lifestyle that young people promote.
They also frequently appear in coffee gatherings and coffee culture festivals, using instant coffee liquid to prepare drinks, attracting coffee lovers with exquisite peripherals, the social attributes of coffee returning, and brand culture further spreading.
Little Goose in Douban "Did you drink coffee today?" The group shared her experience of making homemade coffee at home, and she told hedgehog commune that she was "a family who can't wake up without drinking coffee", coffee is already an indispensable part of her life, and she has replaced the "toy machine" when she first entered the pit to make coffee at home to the slightly mid-range domestic semi-automatic coffee machine.
In order to achieve coffee freedom while having higher quality and more interesting preparation, bean selection has become a problem that ritualistic coffee advanced players such as goose must consider.
While working deeply in the field of instant coffee, San-a-Half still continues its "old business", that is, the sale of coffee beans, which has captured the hearts of high-end players who are willing to pay more time and energy.
Niche specialty coffee brands such as seesaw, Manner, % and so on, which are becoming more and more popular, seem to be shaping the lifestyle of young people.
When three and a half tons, Yongpu and other boutique instant coffees are separated from convenience and cost performance, can they compete with seesaw and Manner at the level of creating exquisite life? This obviously requires a constant test of the market.