In the first half of 2024, birch sap—a niche category in China’s beverage industry—caught the industry's attention with its explosive growth. In March to June 2024, birch sap sales skyrocketed, reaching RMB 96.07 million in four months, marking a remarkable year-on-year growth of 834.8%.
Birch sap is a natural liquid extracted from birch trees, usually clear or pale yellow with a subtle woody fragrance. Fresh birch sap has a mildly sweet taste and is rich in nutrients. Brand promotions and social media discussions highlight its natural nutrients and health benefits, which have become key selling points. Birch sap is priced significantly higher than regular bottled water and beverages on e-commerce platforms. This premium pricing is not only due to its natural health positioning but also its inherent rarity. Birch sap harvesting is highly dependent on environmental conditions, with a short collection period of only about two weeks each year. The complexity of the process further limits its large-scale production.
Currently, key players in this category, including Linyuanchun, Jia Hua, and Zhongzhi, have all seen a surge in sales since March 2024. For instance, according to Feigua, sales of Linyuanchun ranked first in Douyin’s beverage sector in April, surpassing well-known brands like Huiyuan, Oriental Leaf, and Coca-Cola. In May and June, Linyuanchun remained among the top ten. The key players have leveraged live-streaming and short videos to highlight the health benefits and rarity of birch sap, thereby solidifying its premium brand image.
A notable aspect of birch sap’s emergence is its appeal to young and middle-aged men. According to Trend Insight, the search index for "birch sap" in the first half of 2024 increased by 881.28% year-on-year and 106.29% month-on-month, peaking at 90,432 in April. Male consumers made up 62% of the search traffic, with most of them aged between 31 to 40. This group, which frequently drinks alcohol during business and social gatherings, faces potential health risks like high uric acid and cholesterol levels. As a result, they have a strong demand for products that support liver health and help lower cholesterol. Birch sap, rich in nutrients such as phenylpropanoids, oligosaccharides, and amino acids, is believed to promote metabolism, protect the liver, and lower cholesterol, which perfectly aligns with the health concerns of middle-aged male drinkers. Brands have capitalized on this, marketing birch sap as essential for hangover relief and liver protection, effectively targeting this consumer group.
Despite its rapid rise, birch sap faces several challenges. Many consumers remain skeptical about its nutritional benefits, with some viewing it as overhyped. Those who have tried it out of curiosity but found it didn’t live up to their expectations may dismiss it as a gimmick, leading to low repeat purchases. The high price point also narrows the consumption scenarios and deters new consumers from trying the product. Moreover, the market is seeing the emergence of diluted and blended birch sap products marketed as pure, which erodes consumer trust and damages the category’s reputation. In addition, birch sap faces natural production constraints, as its harvesting process is highly seasonal and difficult. Therefore, whether birch sap can evolve into a stable, mature and sustainable product category remains to be seen.
Disclaimer: All images used in the article are from the Internet.
