Thanks to consumers’ increasing preference for healthier beverages, the unsweetened tea category in Mainland China has enjoyed a 55% CAGR from 2021 to 2023 attracting numerous new entrants.
Nonetheless, Oriental Leaf has continued to dominate the category with over 60% value share. The brand’s long-held reputation for superior tea quality and rich Chinese heritage helped Oriental Leaf still occupy consumers’ top of mind as the ready-to-drink tea beverage of choice.
As a new entrant to the category, Authentic Tea House (ATH) was a challenger brand facing an uphill battle. We needed to overcome two major challenges to grow ahead of the fierce competition:
• ATH’s cold brew technique, which ensures superior taste, is unique amongst competitors – but how could we effectively communicate our differentiation when we were outshouted by bigger, richer brands?
• As a newcomer, we had limited product visibility in stores – so, how could we get consumers to try us?
