Yuzu Flavor: The Next "Lemon"
Back in September 2023, as we were planning the topics for FBIF2024, we noted that lemon had been on a hot streak lately, offering the juice industry a rare blockbuster category. I posed a question: Who would be the next “lemon”?
This question is on the minds of many entrepreneurs and innovators. Everyone hopes to be the first to catch the next big wave, creating and leading a new product category. And now we have an answer: Yuzu!
In the world of juices and modern milk tea, lemon has long been favored for its refreshing taste and health appeal. History shows it’s remarkably resilient against market fluctuations. It seems yuzu shares these qualities.
For years, Tenwow(天喔)’s Honey Yuzu Tea has been a favorite beverage for many people. More recently, the “Triple Yuzu Iced Drink(三重柚香冰饮)” served at Haidilao restaurants has been gaining popularity. These days, whenever Bella and I dine at Haidilao, this triple-yuzu drink is a must, and I enthusiastically recommend it to my colleagues.
What’s even more surprising is that multiple American brands have launched yuzu beverages in recent years. “Yuzuco” looks like an American counterpart to China’s YUZU VALLEY(柚香谷).
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But today’s star is YUZU VALLEY(柚香谷).
YUZU VALLEY(柚香谷)’s “Shuang Yuzu Juice” (rebranded as Song Yuzu Juice in July 2023) hit the market in June 2021. By 2023, its sales reached 600 million RMB, bringing its two-year total to over 1.1 billion RMB. Another brand rising at lightning speed! The success of YUZU VALLEY(柚香谷) has also spurred a host of other brands to launch their own yuzu-based products.
Yet, Zhejiang YUZU VALLEY(柚香谷) Holdings Co., Ltd., was founded back in 2015. They started by growing yuzu, and now have nearly a decade of experience in cultivation.
As someone who has loved eating yuzu since childhood—and whose family has grown the fruit in Fujian—I’ve long wondered: While oranges have spawned a wide variety of beverages, why hasn’t yuzu done the same?
Maybe we won’t have to ask that again. The answer is clear: It takes someone to make it happen. Likewise, a regional favorite has every chance to go national—or global—if the right people bring it to market and promote it effectively.
Compared to oranges or mandarins, yuzu isn’t as sweet and its pulp is chunkier, giving it a better texture. It’s one of my favorite fruits to eat. As a beverage, I love it just as much.