Liquor companies collectively "move downward"! The 100-yuan price range returns to a strategic high ground, and the battle over cost performance is heating up | Spring Sugar Trends

It is already noon, and the Paradise Intercontinental Hotel at Global Center feels somewhat quiet.

Report by (chinatimes.net.cn) journalist Zhou Mengting, Chengdu

In March, Chengdu’s Spring Sugar Fair arrives as scheduled. Although the weather has warmed up, the actual temperature in the baijiu industry remains far from catching up. On March 22, the reporter visited the main exhibition areas at the Global Center Paradise Intercontinental Hotel and Minshan Hotel and observed that there weren’t many visitors. However, despite the quiet atmosphere, the trend in baijiu has already shifted: the 100-yuan price range has replaced the high-end prices of previous years and has become the main competitive price band for manufacturers this year.

During the Spring Sugar Fair, a sales representative from a baijiu brand told Huaxia Times that the current market shows a clear trend of consumption downgrade. “The 100-300 yuan segment saw significant growth during the Spring Festival, while prices above 500 yuan generally declined, and the thousand-yuan range has plummeted.” A staff member at the Xifeng Liquor booth also told reporters that products in the 100-yuan price range have become bestsellers. This Spring Sugar, Xifeng Liquor launched two new products in the 100-yuan segment.

But the 100-yuan segment is not a blue ocean. As famous brands expand into lower tiers, this price range has already gathered several national brands. For unknown small and medium-sized distilleries, this intensifies the competition. To cope, many small and medium enterprises at this Spring Sugar are not only relying on the traditional tactic of high gross margins but also lowering their procurement thresholds further, trying to gain survival space through concessions.

Competing for the 100-Yuan Price Range

This Spring Sugar, baijiu companies have pushed their product prices down to the 100-yuan level. A sales representative from a well-known brand recalled that in previous years, all brands aimed to seize the 500+ yuan high-end and thousand-yuan segments. “But now, with consumption downgrade, not only are prices above 1,000 yuan falling sharply, but products above 500 yuan are also under pressure. Only a few top products perform well nationwide, while the rest are declining.” He also revealed that his brand’s mid-to-high-end products are actively adjusting prices to adapt to the trend.

Regarding the 100-yuan segment, he pointed out that the 120-150 yuan range is “a very large market with fierce competition, with all manufacturers trying to carve out their share.” “The 100-yuan price point has become very important again, almost returning to its previous strategic position. Companies are now investing more resources and marketing efforts in this segment.”

At the corporate level, this trend is also evident. During an investor research meeting on January 31, Jinshiyuan revealed that “its Danxia products recently surpassed the other series to become the company’s second-largest single product. By 2026, we plan to upgrade packaging, improve quality, and even adjust the pricing system of Danxia within the province to further strengthen its advantage in the 100-yuan price range.”

At this year’s Spring Sugar hotel exhibition, Xifeng Liquor also increased its focus on the 100-yuan segment, launching two new products: 52-degree Xifeng Liquor Haichen Cang (Standard) and 52-degree Xifeng Liquor Haichen Cang (Xi), with suggested retail prices of 168 yuan. The series’ other product, Haichen Cang 7, has a suggested retail price of 198 yuan and is quite competitive in banquet scenarios. This time, they continued this approach by launching new products in the 100-yuan range. Opposite the Xifeng booth, Xinjiang baijiu company Yilite also showcased its newly upgraded 100-yuan product, Yilite Qu T10, prominently. The newly launched Yilite Qu T10 is a strategic move by Yilite to build core competitiveness in the 100-yuan segment.

Regarding industry competition, liquor analyst Cai Xuefei told this newspaper, “The 120-150 yuan range is indeed the core price band for banquets and mass upgrades, with a broad consumer base, high frequency, and large volume. It is now the key price segment for the sinking of famous brands and regional brands to consolidate their territory.”

Layered Competition

However, the 100-yuan segment is already crowded with famous brands, including Wuliangye’s Wuliang Tequ, Shanxi Fenjiu’s Lao Bai Fen 10, Yanghe’s Hai Zhi Lan, Xijiu’s Silver Xijiu, Jiannanchun’s Jin Jian Nan K6, Gujinggong’s Gu 5, and others.

The current industry landscape shows clear differentiation. According to data from multiple brokerages’ Spring Festival market surveys, the 2026 Spring Festival baijiu market will be markedly segmented, with the 100-yuan segment standing out as a structural highlight. The reporter learned that competition within the 100-yuan range is highly stratified. “For example, national brands like Hai Zhi Lan have very transparent price differences and profits, so they don’t need extensive promotional campaigns,” explained the sales representative. These products follow a low-margin, high-volume strategy. The real fierce competition comes from regional brands aiming to carve out their share, using high profits to attract distributors.

At the Xifeng booth, the suggested retail price for the two new products, 52-degree Xifeng Liquor Haichen Cang (Standard) and (Xi), is 168 yuan. Distributors purchase them at about 80 yuan each. The other product, priced at 198 yuan, is bought at around 110 yuan, with a gross profit margin exceeding 80%.

As national brands and regional distilleries continue to lower prices and offer discounts, the survival space for unknown small and medium-sized brands is further squeezed. To cope, these brands are not only offering high margins but also quietly lowering their procurement thresholds. On March 22, a source from a sauce-flavor liquor company in Maotai Town, Guizhou, revealed that their best-selling product is priced at 99 yuan per bottle for wholesale, with a suggested retail price of 258 yuan, and a minimum control price of no less than 128 yuan. “Considering the tough market conditions, distributors can now purchase 10 bottles at a time, which was unimaginable before.” Their policies also include brand authorization and material support.

Behind this “discounting and lowering thresholds” by small and medium brands lies the increasingly harsh survival environment of the baijiu market. With top brands reducing prices and facing mounting inventory pressures, how can regional and lesser-known brands break through? Cai Xuefei told this newspaper, “Regional brands need to focus on becoming big fish in small ponds. First, they must defend their local markets and deepen channels into counties and towns. Second, they should develop a strategic product with a distinct regional cultural symbol, linking it to local banquet customs or historical IPs, fostering emotional recognition with ‘locals drinking local liquor’ and offering genuine cost performance to counteract the abstract fame of national brands.”

Industry researcher Ouyang Qianli also offered micro-level advice. He explained, “The 100-yuan price range is a profitable and scalable segment, always highly competitive. Unknown brands should focus on resource concentration and market narrowing, starting from a city and shrinking down to a county, town, or even a street to establish a foothold. Additionally, they should incorporate local culture and engage more frequently with local circles—be it wineries, scenic spots, or clubs—to avoid direct competition with big brands.”

责任编辑：黄兴利 主编：寒丰