Lv Jie is expanding into Southeast Asia with a portfolio of ready-to-drink (RTD) apple cider vinegar products designed to improve taste, convenience and mainstream appeal.
The company markets one of its products under the “Vinegar Fairy” or “Xiao Xian” concept, positioning it primarily at female consumers and those interested in wellness and beauty-from-within trends.
Catering to consumers looking for tasty wellness
The firm noted that consumers are already familiar with apple cider vinegar’s health positioning, but often dislike the strong taste and smell of traditional products. As such, it believes demand is shifting towards products that are both healthy and pleasant tasting.
Lv Jie’s newer products include portable 15ml sachets and 200ml canned beverages targeted particularly at younger consumers seeking convenient functional wellness beverages.
The firm said consumer awareness of ACV’s perceived benefits for gut health and blood sugar management has increased significantly across Asia over recent decades, but taste and convenience remain major barriers to wider adoption.
“To address taste and convenience barriers, we developed RTD sachets combining apple juice and ACV (apple cider vinegar). These products are positioned as sweeter and easier to consume than traditional ACV, while also being portable and suitable for on-the-go consumption, particularly targeting younger working consumers,” said Sales Team Director Johnson Sun.
For Southeast Asia, the company plans to focus on B2C retail-ready products made with simple ingredients: apple cider vinegar, apple juice and inulin – a prebiotic dietary fibre associated with digestive health.
“We also have 15ml sachets of pure apple cider vinegar. These are intended for consumption once or twice daily, preferably before food for best results. For those with sensitive stomachs, you may consume it with or after food,” said Sun.
He added that different RTD formats – such as the 200ml cans and 260ml bottles – offers options for different preferences, noting that the packaging is designed to engage with younger consumers who are studying or working.
Alongside flavoured and ready-to-drink formats, the firm will continue offering traditional zero-sugar ACV products comparable to brands such as Bragg and Heinz. Sun said traditional ACV products are highly acidic and usually require dilution at roughly a 10:1 ratio before consumption.
These traditional offerings will continue to be part of the firm’s offerings as part of its broader portfolio of health-focused products.
Expanding retail portfolio
The firm currently sells products through both online and offline channels. China remains its main retail market, but it plans to expand into Southeast Asia retail channels this year, targeting importers, distributors and convenience retailers such as 7-Eleven and Watsons.
Singapore is intended to serve as the company’s gateway into the wider APAC market. The firm has already entered Malaysia on a smaller scale through Chinese retail outlets.
In the US, the business is more focused on B2B ingredient applications, including capsules and tablets.
The company emphasised that it controls the full production process “from treetop to table”, which it said helps stabilise ingredient supply and reduce pricing pressures. It claimed its products can retail at roughly half the price of comparable offerings from Bragg or Heinz. The company also supplies products for Costco in the US.
The company operates in both B2B and B2C segments. Its core markets are currently China and the US, but it plans to expand further into the Asia-Pacific region, particularly Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. It also said its ingredient business is performing well in the European Union, North America and Australia.
Beyond apple vinegar, the firm has also launched mulberry vinegar and mulberry juice products produced within the same orchards in China. The products were developed in response to demand from membership retail channel Sam’s Club – a well-known membership retail channel like Costcos. According to Sun, more than 200,000 cases were sold during the Chinese New Year period following the product launch.
The company was founded in China in 1999 and expanded into the US market in 2000. It has focused on apple cider vinegar (ACV) products for more than 20 years. The firm is based in Yantai, Shandong, a major growing region for Fuji apples.
Its ACV portfolio spans multiple application areas, including beverages, powders for capsules and tablets, and food ingredients for sauces and condiments.
The company also highlighted bakery applications, where ACV can help regulate dough acidity, function as a natural preservative, and provide fruity flavour notes that pair well with bread and baked products.
