KellyOne, the brand created by Zong Fuli, the successor of Wahaha, launches bubble water

Wahaha is a famous beverage brand in China, founded by Zong Qinghou. Zong Qinghou’s daughter, Zong Fuli, is usually seen as the successor to Wahaha Group.

Recently, KellyOne, a beverage brand founded by Zong Fuli, has launched a new style of sparkling water, called “KellyOne Popper”, with a stylish name and packaging. The new bubble water is sold in Tmall’s flagship store and is divided into three flavors: white peach, green plum and watermelon, focusing on the zero-sugar, zero-fat, zero-calorie concept.

With refreshing packaging, simple design and fresh taste, focusing on the concept of low-energy health, “KellyOne Popper” obviously competes with Genki Forest, a famous Chinese sparkling drink. Considering that KellyOne’s previous products also included healthy tea drinks, this brand has many similarities with Genki Forest.

At present, 12 bottles of “KellyOne Popper” sparkling water show the original price of 69 yuan and a discounted price of 45 yuan in Tmall’s flagship store. In terms of the discount price, “KellyOne Popper” is nearly half cheaper than the expensive Genki Forest, but the capacity of the 335ml is also smaller than that of Genki Forest’s 480ml.

“KellyOne Popper” will start shipping on August 17 and will be sold not only on e-commerce platforms, but also in convenience stores and supermarkets.

Some analysts believe that bubble water will usher in rapid growth in China. In 2019, the size of China’s bubble water market is 15 billion yuan, and with the success of brands such as Genki Forest, this figure is expected to double within five years.

Although KellyOne has been trying to avoid being confused with the previous generation of slightly rustic “Wahaha”, it is undeniable that Wahaha Group will bring strong production capacity to KellyOne. By contrast, brands such as, Genki Forest have always relied on contract manufacturing, which may be an opportunity for other new brands.