Pharmaceutical companies cross into health drinks — is Jingpai (劲牌) facing its strongest competitor?

Pharma moves onto the booze floor

At the 114th China Sugar and Wine Fair in Chengdu, a conspicuous new cohort drew crowds: Dong'e Ejiao (东阿阿胶), Guangyuyuan (广誉远), Tongrentang (同仁堂) and Yiling Health (以岭健康) all displayed low‑alcohol “health wines” beside traditional producers. These century‑old medicine makers are pitching products such as ejiao wine and jujube‑seed wine as part of a broader “medicine + consumer health” push. It has been reported that Dong'e Ejiao set a minimum first‑order threshold of 340,000 yuan for its new line — a signal that pharma entrants mean business, not just a publicity run.

A fast‑growing race for younger drinkers

The timing matters. China’s traditional baijiu market has been under pressure and consumers are trending toward low‑alcohol, micro‑drinking and “punk wellness” — 18–35 year‑olds who want both buzz and perceived health benefits. Industry data cited at the fair projects the low‑alcohol market to reach about 74 billion yuan in 2025 with a compound annual growth rate near 25%, while the so‑called lujiu (露酒) segment is forecast to swell toward 650 billion yuan in 2025 and possibly 2 trillion yuan by 2030. Against that backdrop Jingpai (劲牌), maker of the long‑standing herbal tonic brand Jingjiu (劲酒), has doubled down: it reportedly expects 13.7 billion yuan in revenue in 2025 and has banked millions of new young and female users through heavy national advertising.

Can brand muscle beat medical credibility?

So who has the edge — iconic marketing or medicinal trust? Jingpai’s (劲牌) mass awareness and recent “CCTV+building” ad blitz aim to cement the association “herbal wine = Jingjiu.” But pharma incumbents bring an intrinsic health halo and existing supply chains into retail channels. Channel partners say selection will hinge less on story and more on margins, promotional support and distribution strength. Can pharma translate clinical credibility into repeat alcohol purchases? Or will Jingpai’s brand loyalty and marketing turn first‑time tasters into long‑term buyers?

Risks, regulation and the road ahead

The scramble has also exposed weak points. At the fair, dealers complained consumers confuse lujiu, compound wines and regulated health products — and some exhibitors reportedly exaggerated therapeutic claims. That invites regulatory scrutiny: China is tightening standards for health‑adjacent products and enforcement could reshape who benefits. For now the market is wide open. Will this become a multi‑brand arena led by pharmaceutical names, or will Jingpai defend its turf and keep the health‑wine category tied to its brand? The next 12–24 months — and how regulators react — will decide.