From social media to retail shelves: The ice cup craze

In recent years, almost every summer has set new records for high temperatures. Heatwaves surpassing 35 degrees Celsius have prompted many working individuals to seek clever ways to escape the heat. For brands, creating simple yet practical seasonal products has become an annual challenge. This year, the answer might just be ice cups.

Examples of homemade ice cups. Images are from RED.

Ice cups first appeared on social platforms like RED and Douyin. They involve DIY combinations of ice cubes with various beverages, alcoholic drinks, or coffee to create a refreshing and delicious drink. Over the past two years, many bars have started offering packages that include ice cups paired with different styles of cocktails. Retailers like Hema Fresh, Lawson, and ALDI have also introduced innovative fruit-flavored ice sphere products. Due to their simple production process and wide application, nearly 500 newly registered businesses have entered the ice-making industry in the past three years.

Ice cups sold in Seven-eleven, Hema fresh and ALDI, average price is around 2-4 RMB. Images are from RED.

With Nongfu Spring entering the scene, the ice cup market is now witnessing a trend towards higher standards. As a renowned player in the soft drinks industry, Nongfu Spring opts to use edible ice to produce ice cups, a process that involves more complexity such as sterilization, injection moulding, and freezing. Even the ice cubes undergo sampling inspections before they can be brought to market. Currently, Nongfu Spring's ice cups are being sold in select Lawson convenience stores in Beijing, priced around ¥3-5 (41-69c) each.

Nongfu Spring's ice cups are priced on average ¥0.5-1 (7-14c) higher compared to other brands, crafted from a higher standard water source. Images are from RED.

In coffee-demanding countries like Japan and South Korea, annual consumption of disposable ice cups has reached 2.5 billion cups. In comparison, China's ice cup market is just beginning to take off. Whether it's cocktails, fruit juices, sparkling water, or coffee, all can interact effectively with ice cups, presenting significant potential in this field. However, for the ice cup market to sustain growth, strict control over product quality is essential to ensure product safety.

Ice cups sold in convenience stores in Japan and South Korea boast a wide variety in colors, flavors and designs. Images are from RED.