Core Insights - A new "thousand-store brand" has emerged in the tea beverage market, focusing on rural and town markets in Guangdong and Guangxi, with over 1800 stores opened in the past two years, and plans to expand into Shanghai and Shenzhen [2][4][22] Market Positioning - The brand has successfully penetrated the saturated tea beverage market by targeting less competitive areas such as urban villages and towns, contrasting with competitors who focus on urban commercial districts [10][12] - The brand's first store opened in August 2021 in Zhongshan, Guangdong, and has since replicated its model across the region, with over 200 stores in urban villages alone [12] Business Model - The brand operates primarily through "couple-run stores," avoiding professional franchisees, which allows for lower labor costs and higher commitment from store owners [6][16] - The average price for a cup of their signature brown sugar pearl milk tea is 7 yuan, with a product range that includes over 40 SKUs, all priced below 10 yuan [15][13] Product Differentiation - The brand emphasizes a unique product offering with a focus on soft and flavorful pearls, which are made using a special process to enhance taste [20] - Over 50% of sales come from the brown sugar pearl milk tea, indicating a strong focus on a single product line while maintaining a diverse menu [20] Expansion Strategy - As the market in Guangdong and Guangxi becomes saturated, the brand is looking to expand into new regions like Shenzhen and Shanghai to sustain growth [22] - The founder acknowledges the need for a more structured approach to expansion and has relocated the headquarters to Guangzhou to facilitate this transition [24] Industry Insights - The brand's success highlights that there are alternative paths to growth in a competitive market, suggesting that traditional methods can still yield significant results [26] - The current market dynamics indicate a shift in business models, where companies that can predict future market trends and adapt their strategies accordingly will thrive [26]

Core Insights - A new "thousand-store brand" has emerged in the tea beverage market, focusing on rural and town markets in Guangdong and Guangxi, with over 1800 stores opened in just four years, aiming to surpass 2000 stores this year [1][6][17] - The brand, known as "Baojinzhu," has successfully identified market gaps despite the saturation of the tea beverage market, employing a unique strategy of targeting less competitive areas [1][20] Market Strategy - The brand focuses on opening "couple-run stores," avoiding professional franchisees, which allows for lower operational costs and higher commitment from owners [3][12] - By leveraging word-of-mouth marketing through family and friends, the brand has expanded rapidly without relying on social media or traditional marketing channels [3][20] Product Offering - Baojinzhu offers a diverse menu with over 40 SKUs, primarily featuring old brown sugar pearl milk tea priced at 7 yuan per cup, ensuring affordability and variety for a wide customer base [11][9] - The brand emphasizes a "soft and chewy" texture for its pearls, which are made using a unique production process that enhances flavor absorption [16] Financial Performance - Individual stores reportedly achieve daily revenues exceeding 2000 yuan, with some stores generating over 10,000 yuan in peak sales [3][8] - The low rent and labor costs in rural areas contribute to an annual profit of approximately 200,000 yuan per store [3][12] Expansion Plans - With the saturation of the Guangdong and Guangxi markets, Baojinzhu is now expanding into cities like Shenzhen and Shanghai to sustain growth [17][19] - The founder acknowledges the need for a corporate transformation to support this expansion, focusing on improving brand management and operational efficiency [19][20]