In 2008, under the general conditions of the world’s economy facing a big test, China’s beverage industry has still maintained rapid growth. In order to provide for the entire beverage industry the new trend and information of development, continuously improve the level of quality and the ability of technological innovation and share the opportunities and challenges of development, China Beverage Industry Association (CBIA) held a press conference on the information of China’s beverage industry at Radisson SAS Hotel Beijing on Oct. 20th, 2008.

Mr. Zhu Xinli, Vice President of CBIA and President of Beijing Huiyuan Beverage and Food Group Co., Ltd., presided over the press conference. Mrs. Wang Rui, Vice President of CBIA and General Manager of Red Bull Vitamin Drink Co., Ltd., was invited to give out the important data on development of the beverage industry in 2007 – 2008, and Mrs. Zhao Yali, Executive Deputy President and Secretary-General of CBIA, announced CBIA’s fundamental work and important activities. Mr. Zong Qinghou, Vice President of CBIA and President of Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co., Ltd., delivered a congratulatory letter on the press conference.

At the press conference, an overview of the development of China’s beverage industry in 2007 was first presented, together with the detailed data on the entire industry and the changes in volumes of beverages by type.

China’s beverage industry maintained high-speed growth in 2007. The total volume of beverages exceeded 50 million tons for the first time, reaching 51.1011 million tons and 20% more than that of 2006, among which packaged drinking water took the first place, accounting for over 35% of the total volume. Beverages other than carbonated drink, juice and juice drink and packaged drinking water all had much higher increases in volume than that for the total volume, which demonstrates their vigorous development.

The data on China’s beverage industry in the first 8 months of 2008 showed that there was still a relatively high increase in the total volume reaching 42.2876 million tons, 22.87% more than that of the same period in 2007. But we saw some changes in the share of different beverage types. The share of carbonated drink was slightly reduced, the increase of juice and juice drink was greatly lower than that of the total volume, but packaged drinking water increased slightly higher than the total volume. The volume of beverages other than carbonated drink, juice and juice drink and packaged drinking water was as high as 48.30% more than that of the same period in 2007.

The volume of beverages depends on the consumption levels in different regions. Eastern China is still the main beverage producing area, accounting for 56% of the total volume.

When announcing CBIA’s fundamental work and important activities, Mrs. Zhao pointed out that the most important reason for the over 20% increase in the total volume despite the conditions of China’s economy facing multiple tests and food safety attracting great attention is the goal of “Drinking Safety First” that China’s beverage industry has persistently pursued. The factors such as many categories of beverages, the inter-complementary market and alternative development have also played important roles.  

Drinking safety, product diversity, innovative packaging and energy conservation and consumption reduction have been bringing new tasks for the industrial chain of beverage. Foreign suppliers in the chain have kept providing for the Chinese market their high-efficient and high-quality products that can conserve energy and reduce consumption; and Chinese enterprises, with support of the state’s industrial policies and through technological introduction and independent innovation, have been trying to narrow the gap with the world’s advanced countries. The beverage equipment industry is marching forward towards high-technology, high-precision, high-quality, high-efficiency, and energy conservation and consumption reduction.  

Mrs. Zhao also commented on the 4 platforms built by CBIA – quality standard, social responsibility, self-discipline and technological-commercial exchange.  

Ever since 2005, CBIA has organized specialists from the beverage industry to work out or revise over 20 national or industrial standards of beverage products, with the guarantee of food safety as the premise and the preclusion of counterfeit and substandard products as the essential. CBIA has held in succession the summit symposia on soya drink, tea-coffee-vegetable drink, protein drink, fruit-vegetable juice drink and packaged drinking water with a view of giving high-level exchanges about the technology, quality control, marketing and development trend of these beverage products and directing beverage makers to launch new high-quality beverages in aspects including technology, quality and market.

CBIA has paid high attention to the performance of macro social responsibility. The promulgation and implementation of “The Norm of Getting Water for Beverage Making” that CBIA has organized to work out as an industrial standard are to guide beverage manufacturers to save water for production; in “The Norm of Comprehensive Energy Consumption for Beverage Making” under drafting as another industrial standard, the limit value, admittance value and advanced value of comprehensive energy consumption for beverage making will be set. “Beverage Maker” that CBIA has organized to work out as a national professional standard has been promulgated, and a national profession qualification course going with this standard will be soon published.  

CBIA will actively build and perfect the platform for technological-commercial exchange in the beverage industry – China International Beverage Exhibition on Science and Technology (CBST), in order to boost the technological innovations of beverages, drive the technical progress in the entire beverage industrial chain including raw material, additive, packaging material, container and machinery, and provide for consumers beverage products which are safer, more energy-saving, more environment-friendly and better satisfying the demands of consumption. CBST, held by CBIA since 2003, is not only an innovation of the role of a trade association as “the bridge and link” but also an attempt of gathering beverage manufacturers, research institutes, colleges and universities and supplier enterprises.

Mrs. Zhao also disclosed that CBIA will not co-organize any other exhibitions or expositions in the future.