What Does the Naobaijin Coffee Store Mean for Cross-Industry Coffee
Naobaijin, the health supplement brand known for more than twenty years of TV commercials, opened its first coffee store on November 7 in Songjiang District, Shanghai. The shop trades under the youth-oriented name "Naobaijin+Café" and sells coffee, tea drinks, smoothies and juices at affordable prices, keeping the brand's blue visuals and figurine mascots.
The move follows other Chinese companies that have entered the coffee store business, including China Post, Li-Ning, Huawei and NIO. Coffee has become a common route for cross-industry expansion, and the question for Naobaijin is whether a sleep-aid brand can build a credible place in a crowded market. The store's early drinks menu and pricing will be watched closely.
The health supplement brand Naobaijin, which has been active on TV screens for over twenty years, has officially extended its reach into the coffee sector. Its first coffee store opened on November 7 in Songjiang District, Shanghai, under its youth-oriented brand "Naobaijin+Café." This store not only continues the brand's iconic blue visuals and classic IP imagery, but also offers a variety of beverages including coffee, tea drinks, and smoothies, all at affordable prices. In recent years, industry giants have been crossing into the coffee business, from China Post to Li-Ning, Huawei, and NIO—coffee has become a popular choice for cross-industry expansion. Is Naobaijin's entry a path to brand rejuvenation, or can it carve out a share in the fiercely competitive coffee market? This article will walk you through the features of Naobaijin's coffee shop and the industry trends of cross-industry coffee ventures.
For professional coffee knowledge exchange and more coffee bean information, please follow Coffee Workshop (WeChat public account: cafe_style)
For more specialty coffee beans, please add the private WeChat of Front Street Coffee (FrontStreet Coffee), WeChat ID: qjcoffeex
The health supplement brand that has been doing the hula on TV commercials for over twenty years, known for the slogan "No gifts for the holidays, only Naobaijin," has now opened a coffee shop in Shanghai.
According to official confirmation from "Naobaijin" under Giant Group, the first Naobaijin coffee store officially opened on November 7 in Songjiang District, Shanghai. Named under its youth-oriented brand "Naobaijin+Café," the store marks Naobaijin's formal entry into the coffee arena. As everyone knows, coffee is for staying awake while Naobaijin is mainly for sleep aid—this pairing has indeed surprised many.
From videos posted on the official Weibo, this Naobaijin coffee shop is filled with the brand's iconic blue tones, smile curves, and rounded lines, paired with two giant laser-cut figurines of the white-haired old man and golden-haired old lady, both stylish and friendly. Familiar elements like coffee toasts and the classic blue bottle are also incorporated into the store design, with a trendy style that makes you want to step in and have a cup.
The products sold at "Naobaijin+Café" include not only coffee but also tea drinks, smoothies, juices, and other beverages. Coffee prices are basically around ten-plus yuan, which is quite friendly. A variety of personalized flavors meet different needs, and the visually appealing offerings have attracted many people to visit and try them out.
When mentioning Naobaijin, many people first think of the elderly couple dancing their addictive dance in TV commercials. They are known online as the "first generation virtual idol" cartoon couple, and now they appear in a coffee shop with a different look. Naobaijin is a health supplement produced by Wuxi Jianter Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Since its launch in 1997, it has been a bestseller in China for twenty-five years. Its advertising slogan "No gifts for the holidays, only Naobaijin" is well known, and it once became the top choice health supplement for Spring Festival gifts.
In recent years, many industry giants have crossed into the coffee business. Beyond seeking potential business growth, they value the youth market even more. Coffee has long become one of the important lifestyles for young people.
Naobaijin opening a coffee shop may be related to its group's brand rejuvenation strategy. In March this year, the 25-year-old Naobaijin underwent its first brand refresh, launching the youth-oriented brand "Naobaijin+Café" and releasing three new products targeting the young market: "Sleep Well 9," "Big Bite 7," and "Vitality 8."
It is reported that the new products target young people and focus on healthy foods, with an overall design leaning toward a youthful and lively style. From Naobaijin's series of brand refresh moves, it is not hard to understand its intention in opening a coffee shop this time. On various social platforms, many netizens have expressed their eagerness to try "Naobaijin Coffee."
This year, cross-industry coffee ventures have continued to heat up. First, China Post's first post office coffee landed in Xiamen; then sports brand manufacturer Li-Ning launched its own coffee brand—"NING COFFEE"; even the old shoe brand Neiliansheng opened a café. In May, tech company Huawei applied to register a coffee trademark. In October, new energy vehicle manufacturer NIO also applied to register four coffee trademarks, and so on... Clearly, coffee has become the favorite of cross-industry giants.
According to CCTV Finance, in recent years, more and more people love drinking coffee, and the coffee industry is showing vigorous vitality in the Chinese market. As of now, China has 166,000 coffee-related enterprises, among which 22,000 new registered enterprises were added from January to September 2022, with an average monthly growth rate of 36.4% for new registrations.
In such a fiercely competitive environment, everyone wants a piece of the pie. For now, as an outsider in the coffee world, whether Naobaijin can successfully break out in its coffee business remains a question!
Image source: Internet
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
