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T T




 From the perspective of the

 consumer, since I’ve chosen

 to consume for the sake of
 drinking, it has to feel like the

 alcohol is there.



 Junwei Huang
 Founder of WeDrink, a brand serves light-al-
 coholic tea drinks in China.
           decorations, aims to create an alterna-
           tive ‘unorthodox’ channel for consum-
           ers to drink alcohol on a daily basis.
               They seek to get more people to
           relax by drinking cocktail drinks
 But it doesn’t prevent him from   and even fermented rice made using   during the day, which is the state called
 understanding  the way  these  leading   traditional techniques that they incor-  ‘tipsy’. “Our understanding of ‘tipsy’ is
 tea brands mask alcohol in their spe-  porate into their tea drinks. Also,   that it’s the best state to be in when
 cials. “If the feeling of alcohol is too   WeDrink  has  opened  its doors to   you’re drinking,” said Huang, “When
 strong,  consumers  will  be  somewhat   non-drinkers by introducing new-style   people are in the most comfortable
 repulsed accordingly.” Thus, Huang   tea drinks, such as milk-cap tea and fresh   state of being tipsy, alcohol can bring
 began to develop the “more of a booze   fruit tea. They use fresh buttermilk,   everyone a pleasant mood, and that’s
 flavor, but less alcohol” beverage. His   which is rare in the market, taro balls in   what we expect the brand to bring to
 first  creation, which is Deep Orange   the shape of a magic cube, and the   the consumers.”
 Vodka, followed the same approach as   unique brewing techniques in Jiangnan   The working people choose to
 the Screwdriver, reducing the alcohol-  (an area in South China) to enhance the   have a daytime tipple for one simple
 ic feel and adding orange juice to high-  memory of their products.  reason - to get excited. They consume
 light the fresh fruit flavor for a new   alcohol to get relaxed or inspired, and
 special taste.  Less Drunk, More Like Tipsy  to be able to handle their work more
 Spring Lychee Spirits, a light al-  sober. This is the prerequisite for their
 coholic drink with the addition of   “My initial niche for WeDrink was   consumption, and is also fundamental
 full-bodied liquor and spirits (Baijiu, a   the takeaway cocktail,” Huang recalls.   to WeDrink’s development of drinks.
 traditional Chinese liquor), is a person-  Among the Chinese general public’s   In WeDrink’s menu of alcoholic bever-
 al favorite of Huang. Like most people,   views, the cocktail scene is mostly a   ages, consumers can choose the scale   takeaways, has met many ‘companions’   Tea and Drinks Going into
 the strong taste and sensation of the   nighttime bar or a quiet bar in a nar-  of alcohol: tipsy or boozy, with the   during the current pandemic. Shanghai   Art Exhibitions and Gyms
 liquor and spirits made him uncomfort-  row lane after dusk, requiring a spe-  difference being the alcohol level,   cocktail bars, led by Speak Low, are
 able at first taste, and he would not take   cific and fixed drinking space. Com-  strength and proportion of alcohol   keen to launch on takeaway platforms,   It’s not uncommon for tea drinks
 another single sip of it. But once it is   pared to the liquor and spirits and   used. With women as the target group,   picking out a few cocktails suitable for   to collaborate with other industries,
 mixed with the Ever Spring tea, which   yellow rice wine on traditional Chi-  they have designed a variety of drinks   takeaway and starting their online busi-  and it’s not surprising for tea drink
 has the effect of relieving alcoholic   nese dinner tables, red wine and white   using Baileys and sparkling wine, and   ness. In response, Huang described, “If   shops to appear at various life festivals,
 feelings, and once the lychee is used to   wine in Western restaurants, as well as   other low-degree alcohols, which are   it’s exclusively a cocktail takeaway, it   so the same is true of WeDrink. In the
 blend the pleasant sweetness, he has   crates of ice-cold beers in the late-night   smooth and easy to taste in the mouth.   might lower consumers’ original pur-  2019 Shanghai Wine and Dine Festival,
 embraced this tea with the aroma of the   snack booths, the domestic cocktail   “We wanted to be on a more popular   chasing  desire,  because  people  are   Huang set out with four drinks, bringing
 liquor and spirits.  consumer group is mainly female, and   taste benchmark, but with a dose of   looking to experience the bar vibes. So   different combinations of Kahlúa, Caip-
 In addition to the unique liquor   it has developed a series of consider-  aftertaste when you drink it.”  we define ourselves as selling different   irinha lime liqueur, gin and mango co-
 and spirits, WeDrink’s menu features   ations about the environment and the   As one of the first to break the   kinds of drinks, instead of selling a glass   conut liqueur, reaping many favorites
 more than a dozen alcoholic categories   aesthetics. WeDrink, with its stall lay-  boundaries between tea and alcohol,   of alcohol to the consumer, we bring   with his slogan and brand philosophy
 such as rice wine, rum, vodka, red wine,   out  and  the ambient  neon lighting   WeDrink, which mainly features on   you drinks that contain alcohol.”  of ‘more alcohol, less serious’.


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