On November 9, the most inflectional TV media in China, CCTV, focused on the leading energy drink brand - Red Bull in its Finance Channel's "Rooted in China" series. The special reports told the story of how Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya, the founder of TCP Group, pioneered the development of Red Bull energy drinks and its trademarks, which became popular from Thailand to the global market. At the same time, the reports recorded how the Red Bull brand seized the opportunities of the China's economic and market development, and led the energy drinks industry in China. The series showed that TCP Group continuously increase investment, innovate with products and experiences to meet consumer needs, and actively promote China-Thailand economic, trade and cultural exchanges through practical actions, firmly rooted in the Chinese market.

From Thailand to the world stage, Red Bull pioneered energy drinks with innovative spirit

The Red Bull brand originated in Thailand and was created by Thai-Chinese Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya. He founded T.C. Pharmaceutical in 1956. With his background in the pharmaceutical industry and a deep understanding of Thai consumers, he conducted repeated experiments for more than three years and invented Red Bull in the 1970s, an energy drink with excellent taste and functionality, creating a new trend in energy drinks.

Red Bull's innovation lies not only in its product formula, but also in its advanced innovative marketing and branding. In Thailand, Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya pioneered marketing activities such as bottle cap exchange and prize-giving. He also sponsored TV programs and sports as Muay Thai, making the Red Bull brand a household name quickly and laying the foundation for Red Bull's sports marketing. The "Double Bulls" logo designed by Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya is still a model of trademark design.

Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya, founder of TCP Group, pioneered energy drinks with innovative spirit

Saravoot Yoovidhya, the CEO of TCP Group, introduced: "My father would like to be a pioneer. To be a pioneer, you have to be creative. He wanted to create a brand that is easy to remember, so he came up with the 'Red Bull' logo: The double bulls represent the strength. The color red represents tenacity, energy and, activeness. The yellow circle behind the bull is actually the sun, which represents vitality. These three elements combined together and represent the energy in the bottle." At a time when the concept of branding was still immature, Red Bull had already begun to proactively establish its own brand image among consumers.

Saravoot Yoovidhya, the CEO of TCP Group

With the success of Red Bull in the Thai market, the Yoovidhya family and TCP Group, as the founders and owners of the Red Bull brand, began to promote Red Bull to the international market . Wacharin Buadee, the Chief Operating Officer of TCP Group, recalled: "In 1978, we expanded the scale of investment. In an era when others were hesitant, we purchased new high-speed machinery to boost our production capacity, allowing us to successfully export gold-can Red Bull to other countries."

Wacharin Buadee, the Chief Operating Officer of TCP Group

In 1982, the first batch of gold-can "Red Bull" products were exported to Singapore, starting Red Bull's globalization journey. In 1984, Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya and Austrian entrepreneur Mr. Dietrich Mateschitz announced the establishment of Red Bull GmbH and introduced the product to the European market. Red Bull, which was born in Banbong, Thailand, gradually went from Southeast Asia to Europe and the broader international market, and became synonymous for energy drinks around the world.

Red Bull brand goes from Thailand to international market

Seizing the opportunities of the times and growing together with Chinese industry, TCP Group takes root in China

Red Bull 's international success laid the foundation for its entry into the Chinese market. As a Thai-Chinese, Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya has always been cared about his hometown and hoped to bring Red Bull back to his ancestral home, Hainan, China. Under the wave of reform and opening up, in 1993, Mr. Chaleo Yoovidhya opened the first Red Bull factory in Haikou, marking the official entry of the Red Bull brand into the Chinese market.

The birthplace of the first can of Red Bull in China - Hainan Red Bull Beverage Co., Ltd.

With the rapid development of China's economy, especially the rapid expansion of the highway network, long-distance driving and tourism have become popular. Red Bull meets the needs of drivers and travelers to improve physical strength and boost spirits, and has gradually become popular. Nucharee Yoovidhya, the President of TCP Group：“Our product boost the energy, not only body and also the mind. So our target audience includes those who really work long hours.”

Nucharee Yoovidhya, the President of TCP Group

In the past decade, with the continuous upgrading of China's consumer market, especially the "Internet +" has created a new type of labor force, such as live streamers, delivery riders, and ride-hailing drivers, coupled with the national sports trends, the consumer base for energy drinks has continued to expand. Riding on China's economy, the Red Bull brand has continued to grow and develop, and has also led the development of the industry .

When the Red Bull brand entered China, there was no precedent for energy drinks, and Red Bull opened up a new category in the Chinese market

The first can of Red Bull produced in China rolled off the production line from Hainan Red Bull Beverage Co., Ltd.

As a witness, participant and beneficiary of reform and opening up, Red Bull has witnessed the rapid development of China's economy, and TCP Group has deeply felt the huge potential and vitality of the Chinese market and continues to seize the opportunities. In order to better meet the needs of Chinese consumers, TCP Group has continuously increased its investment in China and deepened its business. In the past five years, TCP Group's investment in China has reached 4.36 billion yuan.

TCP Red Bull Beverage (Sichuan) Production Base

The production base of TCP Group in Neijiang, Sichuan, was officially announced to be put into production in December 2023. With a total investment of 2 billion yuan, it has a designed annual production capacity of 1.44 billion cans. At present, the base has achieved efficient integration of production, warehousing and resource recycling. The two production lines in the first phase are producing about 2 million cans per day to meet the strong demand of the Chinese market.

Wang Liang, Deputy Mayor of Neijiang City, Sichuan Province, said, "The TCP Red Bull project is the largest foreign investment project we have recently attracted, and it has also played a driving role as our FDI (foreign direct investment) has grown exponentially for several consecutive years. Currently, the value of 'Sweet+' industry in the first half of the year has reached more than 10 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 20%.”

Wang Liang, Deputy Mayor of Neijiang City, Sichuan Province

In addition, the production base of TCP Group in Guangxi ASEAN Economic Development Zone is also under construction, with a total investment of about 1.3 billion yuan. It will become an important fulcrum for TCP Group to connect the Chinese and ASEAN markets.

TCP Red Bull Beverage Guangxi Production Base under construction

The implementation of these investment projects has driven the aggregation of local upstream and downstream industries, and China's perfect supply chain system has also brought great convenience to the development of multinational companies investing in China. Kajornsak Pliensakul, the Chief Supply Chain Officer of TCP Group, said: "China has competitive supply chain network. It enables us to quickly respond to market changes, and adjust production plans and supply chain strategies in a timely manner to meet diverse market demands. From designing, product developing, to packing and testing, we could find all segments and suppliers efficiently in the local industry chain."

Kajornsak Pliensakul, the Chief Supply Chain Officer of TCP Group

H.E. Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Thai Ambassador to China, said : "For many years, China has been the largest source of foreign investment in Thailand , and China 's economy has been growing rapidly . Thailand wants to be part of this development and supply chain system. We hope to work closely with China in trade and investment, and benefit from ASEAN and RCEP to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results."

H.E. Chatchai Viriyavejakul, Thai Ambassador to China

As a representative of Thai companies investing in China, TCP Group Red Bull brand has been developing in China for 31 years. Saravoot Yoovidhya, the CEO of TCP Group, said: "China's positive policy of encouraging foreign investment is prompting more Thai companies to seek development opportunities in the Chinese market, and jointly welcome the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand next year. TCP Group has invested more than 4.3 billion yuan in China in the past five years. We always believe in the potential of the Chinese market and firmly believe that China is the future. We will continue to launch new products to the Chinese market, continue to increase investment, deepen our presence in the Chinese market, and firmly take root in China."

Continuous innovation to meet the diverse needs of consumers, promoting economic, trade and cultural exchanges between China and Thailand

In China, Red Bull is not only a synonym for energy drinks, but also a symbol of life attitude and spiritual pursuit. In recent years, “special forces” tourism, city walks, music festivals, etc. have become important lifestyles for young Chinese consumers to relax and relieve stress. These new consumption scenarios not only provide consumers with diversified and personalized choices, but also bring new growth opportunities for companies and brands.

Red Bull is not only a synonym for energy drinks, but also a symbol of life attitude

Supachai Junkeiat, TCP Group CCO and TCP China CEO , said : "Chinese market could be seen as the most dynamic one, with huge potential and diversified needs from different audience in various scenarios. The consumption scenarios of energy drinks are also evolving towards diversification. Especially the ‘Gen Z’ are now the main consumers. They need energy not only for work and study but also when enjoying life."

Supachai Junkeiat, TCP Group CCO and TCP China CEO

TCP Group actively explores innovative forms of experience, such as creating the TCP Red Bull "Very Thai" Music Festival series IP, combining Thai and Chinese culture, music, food and other elements in the form of "music +" , enhancing the mutual understanding of between consumers in the two countries and achieving two-way cultural communications. In addition, TCP Group deeply participates in Sino-Thai cultural exchange activities held in China, such as "Songkran Festival" and "Thai Festival", and creates wonderful experiences with consumers.

Through activities such as the Very Thai Music Festival, TCP Group creates wonderful experiences with consumers and promotes cultural exchanges between China and Thailand

At the same time, as consumers' requirements for quality gradually increase, the energy drink market has gradually shown a trend of diversification, personalization and segmentation. TCP Group has 60-year experience in the functional beverage industry, with not only mature products that are popular with consumers in many segments, but also a deeper understanding of the industry trends. It is committed to the “Fulfilling” principle and actively innovates with products that better meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

TCP Group has diversified products in multiple segments that are popular with consumers

In recent years, TCP Group has continued to launch new products. In addition to the popular classic Red Bull® Vitamin Flavored Drink and Red Bull® Vitamin Taurine Drink, in 2022, TCP Group also introduced "0 sugar and no burden" into energy drinks, launching the 0 sugar fruit-flavored Red Bull® Vitamin Energy Drink; In 2023, TCP Group launched the first bottled Red Bull® Energy Drink in the Chinese market, responding to Chinese consumers' demand for ready-to-drink energy drinks with product upgrades such as portable packaging and diversified formula. In the future, TCP Group will introduce more high-quality products to the Chinese market.

Authentic Red Bull with the official authorization mark of TCP Group

As the inventor and owner of the global Red Bull brand and the "Red Bull" trademark, TCP Group has been committed to providing consumers with an excellent product experience.