China News Service, Nanjing, October 15th (Zhang Chuanming, Tang Juan) On October 15th, the 115th National Sugar and Wine Fair (hereinafter referred to as the Autumn Sugar Fair) opened at the Nanjing International Expo Center. As the "wind vane" of China's food and alcohol industry, the most significant change in the exhibition hall this year is the collective "downgrade" surrounding young consumers.
Facing the generational change in consumption, both time-honored wine companies and emerging wine companies are invariably promoting the "downgrading" of their products.
According to analysis by the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, China's alcohol consumption scene is undergoing profound changes. Emerging scenes represented by personal emotional satisfaction, family gatherings, and outdoor light socializing are rising and becoming the new main force of consumption. Judging from the scene of this Autumn Sugar Fair, in the face of the change of consumption generations, both time-honored wine companies and emerging wine companies have invariably promoted the "lowering" of products and expanded the "tip-free" scene.
As a traditional wine company in Jiangsu, Jiangsu Yanghe Winery Co., Ltd. launched two new low-alcohol liquor products at the conference. Among them, a sparkling fruit wine that is claimed to be brewed from real fruit, has 0 sucrose and 0 flavors, and has an alcohol content of only 6 degrees, is aimed at young consumers.
Liu Jiaogang, deputy general manager of Jiangsu Tanggou Liangxianghe Liquor Sales Co., Ltd., also a Jiangsu liquor company, said that the company has long been aware of the inevitable trend of low-alcohol liquor and timely launched 29-degree low-alcohol liquor. "This low-alcohol liquor not only retains the rich taste, but also improves the comfort level after drinking as the alcohol content decreases." He also revealed that the company is exploring adding rose extract to the wine to further expand the floral dew wine category.
The purpose of young consumers' drinking has shifted from "pleasing others" to "pleasing themselves."
E Junpeng, deputy general manager of Shandong Beiwu Forest Winery, has been working in the traditional wine and whiskey markets for a long time, and now he has also transitioned into the "tip-drunk" track. He said: “After market research, the entire consumption structure of white wine and red wine is changing, and the perception of wine consumption has changed from ‘not drunk until you’re drunk’ in the past to ‘just a little tipsy’.” The core selling point of the fruit wine series launched by this company is “high juice content, comfortable entrance, and pleasant drunkenness.”
Fan Lijun, a French wine dealer with more than 20 years of experience in exhibitions, admitted that wine consumption is becoming "more fragmented" and that young consumers "drink not for the sake of drinking, but for a kind of happiness and spiritual enjoyment." To this end, his company is looking for end consumers through live broadcasts and market activities, and is launching de-alcoholized wine for white-collar women. "This kind of drink that has good taste and is not overpowering is very popular among young women, and the order rate can reach 80% to 90%."
In addition to the independent explorations of various wine companies, collaboration at the industry level is also accelerating. Leading liquor companies have jointly launched a 50ml "small drinking bottle". Meituan data shows that flash sale sales of ultra-small-capacity liquor below 50ml will increase by more than 140% year-on-year in 2025.
When drinking wine moves from "pleasing others" to "pleasing oneself", from the wine table to daily life, wine companies need to complete not only a product downgrade, but also a systematic reconstruction from product logic to consumption scenarios. Autumn Sugar Fair once again joins hands with Nanjing because of its strong geographical radiation capabilities and the strong and diversified consumer market brought about by the growth of the Nanjing metropolitan area and residents' income. The young and dynamic consumer groups and the ability to radiate at home and abroad provide enterprises with more transformation possibilities and provide solid soil for the exhibition.
