强化“饮品+IP”双基因 林里启动3.0品牌焕新

Linli's brand evolution showcases a clear path from startup to national leadership in the hand-made lemon tea market.

1. A three-phase strategy: Phase 1.0 focused on validating a single-store profitability model with the signature "hand-whacked lemon tea," establishing a brand identity with "one tea, one duck." Phase 2.0 built a scalable store model, supply chain moat, and franchise system for national expansion. Phase 3.0 rebranded as a "lemon tea and life exploration brand," introducing the Linli Duck IP to strengthen emotional connections.

2. Key metrics: Nearly 2,000 stores across 31 provinces and 200+ cities, with a GMV target of 2.7 billion RMB by 2025. Over 110 million small yellow ducks gifted, and the signature lemon tea has become a mega-hit with annual sales exceeding 20 million cups.

3. Operational tactics: Ensured fresh ingredients and cost control via self-built sorting centers (40-ton daily capacity) and tea factories, partnering with 30,000 mu of orchards. IP marketing, like cross-over collaborations (e.g., "Yanyun Sect Duck" game tie-in), boosted repurchase rates and community engagement.

Linli's marketing and channel strategy offers insights into consumer trends and product innovation.

1. Marketing evolution: The Phase 3.0 rebranding positions Linli as a "lemon tea and life exploration brand" with the slogan "Big Lemon Awakens Life" and a vision to "make the boring world a bit more fun." The Linli Duck IP, amplified through collaborations (e.g., with the game *Yanyun Shiliu Sheng*), generated over 100 million impressions, resonating with young consumers.

2. Channel expansion: Built a national franchise network covering 200+ cities. A self-operated cold chain logistics network serves 80+ cities, ensuring 24-hour delivery in key markets for operational efficiency.

3. Product R&D and trends: Centered on fragrant lemon ingredients, innovating with a "fragrant lemon + tea + X" formula (e.g., White Grape Iced Lemon Tea). Captured health and emotional value trends, with flagship lemon tea selling 20 million cups annually.

4. Consumer behavior: Observed shift from functional needs to emotional experiences; the Linli Duck alleviates wait-time frustration, transforming into social currency that drives collection and exchange.

Linli presents growth opportunities and a robust business model, with clear policies and risk considerations.

1. Market potential: Targets 3,000 stores and 4.5 billion RMB GMV by 2026, scaling to 5,000 stores and 6 billion RMB by 2027. Aims for 15% year-on-year same-store sales growth to ensure franchisee profitability. Emotional consumption trends create IP collaboration opportunities (e.g., duck-themed merchandise).

2. Business model: The franchise system emphasizes below-industry-average store cost rates, boosted by self-built supply chain (40-ton daily sorting capacity) for higher margins. IP strategies like the "Duck Exchange Rate" incentivize repeat purchases and community interaction.

3. Risks and mitigation: Intense market competition necessitates a long-term focus to avoid homogeneity. While cross-over events drive traffic, sustained innovation is required to maintain consumer interest.

4. Partnership model: The franchisee support system includes supply chain backing and IP co-development, integrating hard assets (supply chain) with soft power (IP) in brand upgrades.

Linli's supply chain management highlights production demands and commercial opportunities.

1. Production and design needs: Focus on fragrant lemons from 30,000 mu of partner orchards, with an annual yield of ~20,000 tons. Self-built sorting centers (40-ton daily capacity) and multi-thousand-square-meter tea factories ensure quality and consistency. Product innovation follows the "fragrant lemon + tea + X" formula, creating popular items like Thai Green Hand-whacked Lemon Tea.

2. Business opportunities: The supply chain system (cold chain covering 80+ cities) offers cost advantages, suggesting factories adopt digital applications (e.g., e-commerce logistics). Deep sourcing of ingredients (e.g., fragrant lemons) drives design needs for mega-product matrices.

3. Digitalization insights: Self-built supply chain enables end-to-end traceability, with digital management boosting efficiency. E-commerce opportunities expand via IP merchandise (e.g., crocs, fridge magnets).

Industry trends and solution-oriented insights address client pain points and technology applications.

1. Market shifts: The tea beverage sector is moving from scale competition to building systemic resilience, with demand pivoting to emotional and experiential consumption. Linli's case shows IP marketing (Linli Duck) as an emerging trend, with cross-over collaborations becoming key traffic drivers.

2. Client challenges: Unaddressed consumer frustration with queues and the need for emotional value; brands face homogenization and low user loyalty.

3. Solutions: The Linli Duck IP alleviates pain points, converting them into social currency (e.g., "Duck Exchange Rate"). Supply chain optimization (self-built factories and cold chain) ensures product consistency. New tech applications, like digital marketing collaborations with games, enable precise traffic acquisition (e.g., 500,000+ sales from the *Yanyun Shiliu Sheng* tie-in).

4. Implications: Service providers can learn from diversified IP development (building a "Duck Universe") and deep supply chain integration to solve industry efficiency issues.

Platform requirements for brand support and operational management, including partnership recruitment and risk avoidance.

1. Brand needs from platforms: Require platform support for franchise expansion (5,000-store target). Franchisees demand profitability (low cost rates) and IP empowerment (e.g., duck merchandise development).

2. Platform strategies: Built a franchisee empowerment system including supply chain support (national cold chain) and store experience upgrades. Recruitment leverages the Phase 3.0 brand upgrade, emphasizing GMV growth targets.

3. Operations management: Systematically integrates supply chain, product, and IP for stability. Risk management involves mitigating market volatility through a long-term strategy.

4. Risk mitigation: In a saturated market, platforms should prioritize brand differentiation (e.g., IP emotional connections) to avoid homogeneity. Data monitoring (e.g., 20-million-cup annual单品 sales) optimizes operations.

Industry dynamics and business model analysis provide policy implications and problem-solving frameworks.

1. Sector evolution: The tea beverage industry is shifting from capital-driven expansion to endurance competition, with brands focusing on building systemic resilience (exemplified by Linli's three-phase path). New challenges include emotional and segmented consumption, requiring brand elevation.

2. Business model: Linli demonstrates a long-term approach—Phase 1.0: product breakthrough (validating the lemon tea model); Phase 2.0: system deepening (supply chain and scale); Phase 3.0: brand elevation (IP emotional resonance). The trinity synergy (business model, organizational capability, brand value) offers a template.

3. Policy insights: Highlights compliance in deep supply chain integration (self-built orchards and factories). Suggests the industry prioritize sustainable growth (e.g., franchisee profitability) over scale obsession.

4. Case study: The Linli Duck IP, with 110 million units distributed and cross-over collaborations exceeding 100 million exposures, validates the emotional value business model. Key figure Wang Jingyuan's view that "consumers need emotional value" drives the brand's role transformation.