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].

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese beer industry is facing multiple challenges in 2024, including consumption segmentation, cost pressures, and localized competition from international brands, leading to a trend of "volume decline and price increase" [2] Industry Overview - The overall revenue of the beer industry in 2024 has decreased by 5.7% year-on-year, making it the only category in the food and beverage sector to experience negative growth [2] - The performance of the six major listed beer companies—Budweiser APAC, China Resources Beer, Tsingtao Brewery, Yanjing Beer, Chongqing Beer, and Zhujiang Beer—has shown further differentiation [2][3] Company Performance - Budweiser APAC reported a revenue of 62.46 billion RMB, down 8.90%, and a net profit of 7.26 billion RMB, down 14.79% [9] - China Resources Beer achieved revenue of 38.635 billion RMB, a slight decline of 0.76%, with net profit down 8.03% to 4.739 billion RMB [9] - Tsingtao Brewery's revenue was 32.138 billion RMB, down 5.30%, but net profit increased by 1.81% to 4.345 billion RMB [9] - Chongqing Beer reported revenue of 14.645 billion RMB, down 1.15%, and net profit of 1.115 billion RMB, down 16.61% [9] - Zhujiang Beer and Yanjing Beer were the exceptions, with Zhujiang Beer achieving revenue growth of 6.56% to 5.731 billion RMB and net profit growth of 29.95% to 810 million RMB [11] - Yanjing Beer also saw revenue growth of 3.20% to 14.667 billion RMB and net profit growth of 63.74% to 1.055 billion RMB [11] Market Trends - The market is experiencing a shift towards high-end products, with Zhujiang Beer and Yanjing Beer benefiting from product structure adjustments and capturing high-end consumption scenarios [3][12] - Analysts suggest that the beer industry must continue to pursue high-end strategies and expand online channels to find new growth opportunities [3][15] - The competition in the high-end market is intensifying, prompting companies to innovate and refine operations to discover new growth points [15] Strategic Adjustments - Companies are adjusting their product structures towards high-end offerings, with Zhujiang Beer reporting that 90% of its revenue comes from mid-to-high-end products [14] - Yanjing Beer has successfully launched its flagship product, Yanjing U8, achieving a sales volume of 696,000 kiloliters, a year-on-year increase of 31.40% [14] - Budweiser APAC, despite being a high-end market leader, has seen a significant decline in sales, down 11.8%, attributed to weak consumer spending [14] - China Resources Beer reported that mid-range and above products accounted for over 50% of its sales for the first time, indicating a commitment to high-end strategies [14]