Drink brands add TCM to attract new customers

CHONGQING — Tianfu Cola, a popular beverage among generations of Chinese people, has gained a new herbal flavor thanks to the cooperation of a domestic time-honored brand.

"Tianfu Cola has a history of over 40 years and is a taste memory for several generations of Chinese people," said Zhou Jinliang, 50, a local resident. "Because of the herbal ingredients in the drink, we even used to consider the cola as a 'remedy' for colds back in the day."

Its secret lay in a special formula, which drew on traditional Chinese medicine and added several herbs, such as white peony root and Chinese angelica. This combination gave Tianfu Cola both an international taste and the health benefits of TCM.

Upon its launch in 1981, Tianfu Cola quickly won the favor of consumers, with annual sales reaching over 200,000 metric tons, accounting for about 75 percent of China's cola consumption.

In 2021, Tianfu Cola upgraded its packaging design, brand positioning and marketing strategies, and added more healthy herbal plants to create a unique Chinese cola.

"To meet market demand, Tianfu Cola has been making attempts in recent years to strengthen its connection with young consumers," said Jiang Lin, chairman of Tianfu Cola. The company has launched new products, such as sugar-free cola and lychee-flavored sparkling water.

Tianfu Cola is also working with pharmaceutical company Taiji Group to ride the herbal tea wave and cash in on the popularity of TCM. Their codeveloped cola includes Agastache rugosa, a TCM ingredient renowned for its ability to provide protection against heatstroke. This new product has generated sales exceeding 1 million bottles, the company said.

Qingdao Beverage Group, another Chinese drinks manufacturer, has jumped on the TCM bandwagon as well, adding white flower snake grass (Scleromitrion diffusum) — another TCM herb that reduces and relieves summer heat, to its Laoshan Mineral Water. Since the 1960s, the mineral water has been exported to countries such as Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

Jiang at Tianfu Cola said: "Today's young people are increasingly concerned about sugar reduction and other healthy dietary concepts."

As the demand for healthy drinks grows, the company has increased its research and development into healthier products.

Beverages featuring other traditional Chinese health ingredients are also on the rise.

Drinks brand Chi Forest has added red bean, coix seed, goji berry and mung bean to its popular sparkling water products.

Since 2023, Chongqing Jiangbei Hospital of TCM has blended TCM processing techniques with modern food production.

Liao Changying, director of the hospital's nutrition department, said: "Milk tea is a favorite among young Chinese people. We hope it can act as a bridge for them to gain more knowledge about TCM and to gradually accept TCM."

Xinhua