Core Insights - In August, the top 10 coffee brands in China launched a total of 46 new products, averaging 1.5 new products per day [1] Brand Performance - Luckin Coffee led the market with 11 new products, covering the entire month with offerings like "Fresh Brew Lightly Sweetened Osmanthus" and "Fresh Brew Rose Milk" [4] - Kudidi Coffee followed with 8 new products, focusing on fruit tea [4] - Starbucks introduced 7 new products, primarily milk coffee, centered around white peach and osmanthus flavors [4] - Manner Coffee, Lucky Coffee, and Kenyue Coffee each launched 5 new products, while brands like Nova Coffee and Tims only released 1-3 new products [4] Product Trends - The new products were released in two main waves: the first at the beginning of August and the second around the Qixi Festival [6] - Milk coffee remained the most popular category with 14 new products, showcasing a trend towards floral and fruity combinations [7] - Fruit tea emerged as a significant category with 11 new products, indicating coffee brands' efforts to attract tea drinkers [11] - Black coffee saw 10 new products, mainly from Manner and Kenyue Coffee, integrating tea and fruit elements [11] - The introduction of fruit coffee products, such as Luckin's "Rose Latte," highlighted the potential for category expansion [11] Ingredient Insights - Floral tea bases dominated with a 31% share, featuring jasmine and osmanthus, enhancing the overall flavor profile [15] - Green tea and oolong tea followed with 24% and 21% shares respectively, emphasizing freshness and richness [15] - Lesser-used tea bases like lemon tea and matcha played a role in product differentiation [16] - Seasonal fruit ingredients like green grapes and peaches were prominently featured, aligning with summer-to-autumn transitions [16] Market Dynamics - The coffee market is evolving towards a multi-dimensional innovation approach, focusing on ingredients, seasonal relevance, and emotional connections [18] - The trend indicates a shift from single-category launches to a more integrated strategy that enhances consumer engagement and brand loyalty [18]

Core Insights - The "First Cup of Milk Tea in Autumn" has evolved from a simple trend to a marketing phenomenon involving multiple brands and platforms, driving growth in the tea beverage industry [2][5][6] - This year's discussions around the topic have surged, particularly with the emergence of the "Autumn First Cup Flower Bouquet" concept, allowing customers to combine milk tea with flower bouquets, leading to strong sales in various flower shops [8][9][10] Brand Strategies - **Heytea**: Launched a collaboration with CHIIKAWA before the start of autumn, generating significant social media buzz and selling out many limited edition products on the first day of the event [12][13][16][17] - **Luckin Coffee**: Partnered with the popular IP "Wang Wang Mountain Little Monster," offering themed drinks and packaging that resonate with consumers' emotions [20][21][24] - **1点点**: Focused on classic osmanthus flavors for their autumn offerings, providing a sense of ritual for consumers with themed cups and bags [26][28][29] - **Naixue**: Differentiated itself by adopting a "lucky purple" theme, appealing to younger consumers with special promotions and themed packaging [31][33][34] - **Cha Baidao**: Introduced a sparkling pink theme for their autumn campaign, including a promotional event where customers could win a milk tea vehicle [36][39] - **Yihe Tang**: Launched a bold marketing campaign offering free drinks and gold giveaways, creating excitement around their autumn promotions [42][45][49] - **Mixue Ice City**: Engaged consumers with a fun promotion requiring them to shout a specific phrase to receive discounts on apple-themed drinks [51][53][54] Marketing Collaborations - Various brands have partnered with delivery platforms to offer discounts and free drinks, with Meituan delivering 1 million free milk teas during the promotional period [58][60] - Taobao Flash Sale organized a star-studded event on August 7, distributing free milk tea cards every 15 minutes, showcasing the competitive nature of this year's autumn marketing campaigns [59][63]