The bitter history of China’s beverage industry

1. Brands “destroyed” by Pepsi: Tianfu Cola, Arctic Soda, etc.

Destroyed by Pepsi through acquisitions There are many brands, many of which were well-known national brands in China at the time. The most famous ones are Tianfu Coke and Beijing's Arctic Soda.

These two companies have a long history, and were both established in 1936 before liberation.

Tianfu Cola was in Chongqing and was called Chongqing Meihua Soda Drink Factory. At that time, Chongqing still belonged to Sichuan Province. In 1981, they jointly developed Coke with the Sichuan Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Tianfu Cola quickly became popular in China. It once occupied 75% of the Chinese market and was one of the eight largest beverage manufacturers in China. It was designated as a state banquet beverage by the State Council Administration Bureau.

After the joint venture between Tianfu Cola and Pepsi Cola in 1994, it soon disappeared. In 2007, Tianfu Cola Group proposed to take back the trademark and formula, but after a seven-year legal battle, it took it back in 2013. When it came back in 2016, Tianfu Cola had disappeared for 20 years.

Beibingyang’s predecessor was the Peking Ice Factory, which was a joint venture with Pepsi-Cola in the same year as Tianfu Cola and ceased production a few years later.

Also in 2007, Beijing proposed to take back the trademark. Although it did not go to court like Tianfu Coke did, the other party's condition was that they were not allowed to make carbonated drinks within four years. It was not until 2011 that the Arctic Ocean returned to the market, having disappeared for 15 years.

Until now, neither brand has regained its former glory.

Guangdong’s Shashi soda was also “destroyed” by Pepsi-Cola using a similar method. Its production plant, Asia Soda Drink Factory, was founded in 1946 and is a long-established beverage in Guangzhou. Shashi soda was once known as "the best soda in the world" and was awarded the Best Sports Drink Award in my country in 1985.

Sashes was acquired by PepsiCo in 1993 and recovered in 2002. Is there any Shashi soda these days?

2. Brands “destroyed” by Coca-Cola: Laoshan Cola, Shanhaiguan Soda, etc.

There are many brands “destroyed” by Coca-Cola, and the most famous one is Laoshan Cola. .

Laoshan Cola once produced China's first bottle of carbonated beverage. It is located in Qingdao, Shandong. It once occupied 80% of Qingdao's market and about 20% of the country's market.

In the 1990s, Laoshan Cola was acquired by Coca-Cola and soon ceased production. It was taken back and returned to the market in 2004, but like Tianfu Cola, it is difficult to regain its former courage.

Another national brand that was destroyed by Coca-Cola - "Hachioji" soda, has a longer history.

Shenyang Bawangsi Beverage Co., Ltd. was founded in 1920 and is the largest soda production factory in northern China. It was founded by national capitalist Zhang Huilin. I don’t know if Zhang Huilin is related to Zhang Zuolin.

Hachioji soda was acquired by Coca-Cola in 1993. At that time, six Northeastern beverage companies were successively acquired by Coca-Cola. Therefore, the Northeast was known as the "Seven Flooded Armies". Two years later, the "Hachioji" soda was put into hiding, and it took 10 years of legal battle before the brand could be recovered.

Wuhan No. 2 Soda Factory, which has a longer history than "Bawangsi" soda, was founded in 1918.

In 1990, Wuhan No. 2 Soda Factory was acquired by Coca-Cola. Soon its soda gradually disappeared, and production was completely stopped around 2000. It was only in 2017 that Wuhan Er Soda reappeared on the market.

I can’t believe it, China actually has a drink that is earlier than Wuhan No. 2 Factory Soda, and that is “Shanhaiguan Soda”.

Shanhaiguan Soda Drink was founded by the British in Tianjin in 1902 and once dominated the Tianjin market. As we all know, in China at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China, the status of Jinmen once far surpassed that of Shanghai and Guangzhou.

As early as 1986, Shanhaiguan Soda Drink Factory entered into a joint venture with Coca-Cola. It was probably the first Chinese beverage company to be taken over by a foreign giant, and its fate was even more tragic. Shanhaiguan soda gradually withdrew from the market and came back in 2014.

3. Wahaha resisted, one of the few survivors

In addition to Pepsi and Coca-Cola, Danone has also destroyed many Chinese national brands.

Robust may be the most famous brand that was destroyed by Danone, and it is also the most famous negative example of being acquired by foreign capital.

In the 1990s, Robust's AD calcium milk and purified water were popular across the country, and its "every drop of water has been purified through 27 layers" became a classic advertising slogan of that era. In 2000, Robust was acquired by France's Danone and initially operated independently. Soon the team, including founder He Boquan, left one after another, and Robust was quickly marginalized until it disappeared.

In November 2016, Danone sold Robust to Ying Investment Holdings, another Chinese company located in Shenzhen. Shortly afterwards, Robust returned to the world after more than 10 years.

However, one company strongly resisted Danone and finally survived.