Cool drinks! Brands grow sip by sip in rural markets

On the golden plains of Central China's Henan province, farmers harvesting wheat under the scorching sun pause for a refreshing break, not with water from a jug, but with freshly made iced lemonade delivered straight to the fields.

Priced at just 4 yuan (55 cents), these chilled drinks are part of Mixue Bingcheng's "Wheat Field Delivery" campaign. As a beverage company born and bred in Henan, more than 150 stores joined this year's campaign, sending drinks directly to farmlands via electric tricycles or even on foot during the busy harvest season. Farmers say the drink is a lifesaver in the heat, providing a much-needed refreshment right where they work. While lemonade is the most popular choice, other options such as milk tea, coffee, and ice cream are also available.

More than ever, beverage brands in China are personalizing their offerings for every occasion. Some now offer at-home milk tea services, turning kitchens into pop-up tea bars. Others have turned weddings into soft drink showcases, with drinks tailored to the couple's theme.

Riding on the growing appetite for such tailored experiences, brands are rapidly expanding their physical presence. Mixue Bingcheng, now the world's largest beverage chain by store count with over 46,000 outlets, has opened outlets everywhere, from the summit of Mount Tai in eastern China to the remote Metog county in the Xizang autonomous region. Its red-and-white storefronts now cover all of China's county-level cities, with 57.4 percent located in third-tier or smaller cities.

Other domestic beverage brands, such as ChaPanda and Luckin Coffee, are also rapidly expanding into counties that have been long overlooked by mainstream players. These drinks, usually priced around two dollars, have become an accessible indulgence across China's vast lower-tier markets.

According to Meituan data, coffee delivery orders from brands like Cotti surged 97 percent in county-level markets in 2024, while the number of local merchants grew by 159 percent. Once known primarily as production zones, rural areas are emerging as vibrant consumer markets, driven by digital connectivity, faster logistics and the growing aspirations of a younger, better-off population.

China has 545 million online food delivery users, with daily spending averaging nearly 3.3 billion yuan. Such booming demand is supported by a vast logistics backbone: a nationwide delivery network, powered by more than 10 million riders, now handles over 800 million parcels each day. To grasp the scale, every second, delivery orders in China generate over 38,000 yuan in transactions. Every minute, more than 56,000 orders are on their way. At any given hour, over 300,000 riders crisscross fields, alleys and highways.

This momentum rests on a logistics upgrade. By the end of 2024, around 346,000 village-level logistics stations had been built, covering 95 percent of administrative villages.

At the same time, rural incomes are rising. In the first quarter of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 7,003 yuan, up 6.5 percent year-on-year. With more money in hand, more rural families are spending on convenience, comfort and new kinds of experiences.

Xinhua