Core Viewpoint - The tea beverage market is experiencing a downturn, as evidenced by the significant revenue decline of Master Kong's tea drinks, which fell by 6.3% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, resulting in a revenue drop of 7.22 billion yuan [1] Company Performance - Master Kong's tea beverage revenue decreased to 10.67 billion yuan, contributing to an overall beverage revenue decline of 2.6% to 26.359 billion yuan [1] - The sales of bottled water and juice also saw declines, with bottled water down 6.0% to 2.377 billion yuan and juice down 13.0% to 2.956 billion yuan [1] - In contrast, carbonated and other beverages experienced a growth of 6.3%, reaching 10.256 billion yuan [1] Industry Trends - Despite Master Kong's decline, the tea beverage segment remains a growth driver for the industry, as demonstrated by Nongfu Spring's impressive revenue growth in tea beverages from 2021 to 2024, with a peak growth rate of 83% in 2023 [1] - Nongfu Spring's tea beverage revenue reached 16.7 billion yuan in 2024, surpassing packaged water to become its largest product category, accounting for 39% of total revenue [1] - The decline in Master Kong's tea beverage sales may not reflect a decrease in overall market demand, as evidenced by a 9.1% increase in revenue for Uni-President China’s tea beverages, which reached 5.068 billion yuan in the same period [1] - The shift in consumer preference towards sugar-free tea, dominated by Nongfu Spring's Dongfang Shuye brand, may indicate changing market dynamics affecting Master Kong's sugar tea segment [1]