Abstract
The hot drinks market in China is probably the oldest in the world, the
drinking of tea having been invented in China several centuries ago. Thus, the
drinking of hot beverages is a long established practice in China, and the
manufacturing of tea in particular is a well developed industry.
Coffee, on the other hand, is a relatively new product to China, having been
introduced largely in this century. Coffee has become a fashionable drink,
especially amongst the urban youth of China. However, just as trendy cafes
have been springing up all over the main urban centres of China,
traditional-style tea houses have also become fashionable. Not only is the
fashion based around image, but there is a growing trend towards drinking
healthier beverages, and the herbal qualities of traditional teas are becoming
key selling points in the battle to win consumers over.
There has therefore been a resurgence in tea drinking concurrently with the
rise in interest in drinking coffee. Both products are now becoming much more
fashionable, and this is leading to a growth in new brands and the development
of new products.
Not only are teas and coffees drunk hot, but cold varieties of coffee and tea
are also becoming very popular, leading to these drinks becoming competitors
in the lucrative soft drinks market, competing with the likes of Coca-Cola and
Pepsi. This is such a significant trend, that companies such as Coca-Cola and
PepsiCo are developing their own brands of cold teas in order not to lose out
on this dynamic market.
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