China Chic: Coffee with traditional Chinese medicine and time-honored medicine producer's beverage business layout

By Zhang Andi, Wang Ruoxin and Wu Xilu

Tong Ren Tang is the largest producer of traditional Chinese medicine with more than 300 years of history. Recently, Tong Ren Tang launched coffee bars in Beijing, named Zhi Ma Health, presenting coffee with traditional Chinese medicine ingredients, becoming popular among netizens.

The commonly used Chinese medicine ingredient, monk fruit, adds after taste of bittersweet to the Americano, making the drink distinctive.

The osmanthus rice wine latte is nothing like the Irish coffee, with milder alcohol content and a strong smell of flower smell. The rice also adds flavor to the drink.

The dried tangerine peel powder increases the Mandheling coffee's characteristic floral flavor, making an unforgettable pour-over for the sour-taste coffee lovers.

Traditional Chinese medicine values nourishment as a cure, which advocating a healthy lifestyle could avoid diseases. Therefore, the purpose of Tong Ren Tang's beverage business layout is not so much about making money, but passing on a healthy lifestyle, so as to enhance the recognition of Tong Ren Tang’s core products -- traditional Chinese medicine health care products and sub-health diagnosis and treatment -- among young consumers.