Core Viewpoint - The article emphasizes the significant role of Zhejiang entrepreneurs in shaping China's beverage industry, highlighting their innovative spirit and market insight that have led to the emergence of numerous influential beverage brands in a trillion-yuan market [5][55]. Group 1: Key Companies and Founders - Wahaha, founded by Zong Qinghou, became a dominant player in the beverage market after its establishment in 1991, achieving rapid growth and significant market penetration [8][10]. - Nongfu Spring, led by Zhong Shanshan, has successfully positioned itself in the bottled water segment and achieved a revenue of 428.96 billion yuan in the previous year, despite facing challenges [20][19]. - Liziyuan, founded by Li Guoping, initially thrived with its sweet milk products but has faced declining sales, reaching 13.54 billion yuan in 2024, a 1.92% decrease year-on-year [28][30]. - Chengxiang Valley, established by Song Wei, has expanded its product line and production bases significantly, with sales reaching 6 billion yuan in 2023 [34][35]. - Xiangpiaopiao, founded by Jiang Jianqi, pioneered the instant milk tea category and has seen substantial sales growth, with a peak of 15 billion cups sold in a year [39][40]. - Guming, founded by Wang Yunan, has successfully entered the new tea drink market and recently went public, focusing on fresh and healthy beverage offerings [44][46]. - Fino, established by Zhang Kai, has gained recognition for its coconut-based products and aims to create unique value in the beverage market [53][54]. Group 2: Market Trends and Insights - The beverage industry in China is transitioning from scale expansion to quality upgrades, with Zhejiang entrepreneurs leading this change through innovative products and marketing strategies [55][56]. - The competition among beverage giants like Wahaha and Nongfu Spring reflects a broader trend of brand differentiation and consumer preference for unique flavors and health-oriented products [24][25]. - The article notes the importance of adapting to market changes, as seen in Liziyuan's shift to focus on lower-tier markets to regain competitiveness [27][30].

Core Viewpoint - Li Ziyuan's core product, dairy beverages, has faced stagnation in growth for three consecutive years, leading to a revenue plateau around 1.4 billion yuan [1][2][3] Group 1: Company Performance - Li Ziyuan's revenue from 2022 to 2024 remained stagnant at approximately 1.4 billion yuan, with figures of 1.404 billion, 1.412 billion, and 1.415 billion respectively [2][3] - The net profit has also failed to surpass the 2021 peak of 262 million yuan, with figures of 222 million, 237 million, and 224 million for the respective years [2][3] - The company's reliance on dairy beverages has been over 95% from 2017 to 2024, indicating a lack of diversification [3] Group 2: Market Challenges - The dairy beverage market is highly competitive, with Li Ziyuan's core product, sweet milk, facing declining sales due to changing consumer preferences towards healthier options [3][4] - Sales growth for dairy beverages from 2022 to 2024 showed a decline of 8.06%, 1.67%, and a slight increase of 0.41%, indicating a weak market performance [3] Group 3: Product Diversification Efforts - Li Ziyuan has attempted to diversify its product offerings, including fruit and vegetable beverages, protein drinks, and entering the vitamin water market in 2024 [1][5] - Despite launching numerous new products, the impact on overall sales has been minimal, with the second-largest category, flavored dairy beverages, only generating over 10 million yuan in sales despite a 61.95% increase in volume [6] Group 4: Strategic Focus - The company plans to focus on milk powder and dairy product production and sales by 2025, with a project to process 1,000 tons of raw milk daily [7] - The shift towards milk powder may provide strategic transformation opportunities, but success will depend on various factors, including supply chain management and brand image [7]