啤酒争高，“新”意比拼

Core Insights - The Chinese beer industry faced a decline in production and revenue in 2024, with a production volume of 35.213 million kiloliters, down 0.6% year-on-year, and a revenue drop of 5.7%, making it the only negative growth category in the food and beverage sector [1][2]. Industry Dynamics - The market is experiencing significant reshuffling, with major beer companies under pressure while regional brands are rising. The competition is shifting towards high-end products, which are becoming crucial for companies' survival [2][3]. - In 2024, six major listed beer companies showed notable performance divergence, with leading companies generally declining while regional brands like Yanjing and Zhujiang are gaining ground [3][11]. Company Performance - Budweiser APAC reported a significant decline in 2024, with revenue of $6.246 billion (approximately 45.67 billion RMB), down 8.9%, and a net profit of $726 million (approximately 5.308 billion RMB), down 14.79%. Their sales volume in China dropped by 11.8%, and market share decreased by 1.49% [5][6]. - Other major companies like China Resources Beer, Qingdao Beer, and Chongqing Beer also faced revenue declines of 0.76%, 5.3%, and 1.15%, respectively, indicating a broader industry trend of negative growth [8][10]. - Yanjing Beer surpassed Chongqing Beer with a revenue of 14.667 billion RMB, while Zhujiang Beer saw a revenue increase of 6.56% and a net profit increase of 29.95%, highlighting the rise of regional brands [11][12]. High-End Market Competition - The high-end beer market is becoming increasingly competitive, with Budweiser APAC's market share in the high-end segment dropping from nearly 50% in 2015 to around 40% currently. Domestic brands are capitalizing on this trend, with China Resources Beer reporting a gross margin increase to 42.6% due to high-end product sales growth [14][16]. - Companies are focusing on the 8-10 RMB price range for high-end products, which has become a key battleground for market share. Budweiser APAC is shifting resources to this segment to adapt to current consumer trends [16][19]. Strategic Shifts - Beer companies are increasingly adopting personalized and refined operations to address the changing market dynamics. They are focusing on innovative marketing strategies and product offerings to capture diverse consumer needs [20][22]. - Companies like China Resources Beer and Qingdao Beer are enhancing their brand investments and exploring new consumption scenarios to drive growth, while Budweiser APAC is concentrating on its core brands to regain market share [24].