By Miao Bei and Si Zhanwei

In the scorching summer, many people enjoy a glass of beer. However, craft beer, a previous ‘imported product’ and ‘niche hobby’, now occupies an increasingly large display space in major supermarkets and online platforms in Nantong, quietly changing people’s drinking habits.

9 years ago, Zhang Jianjun, born in the 1960s and originally engaged in the textile industry, ventured into the craft beer sector across industries, and founded one of the first batch of craft beer bars in Nantong. Now, he has not only opened 9 chain stores in Nantong, but also expanded his business to places including Changsha, Hunan.

In ‘Mai Pi Craft Beer’ store on Wuyi Road, nine 500-litre brewing vats stand against the wall. ‘Every cup of fresh craft beer is brewed strictly following traditional processes, including mashing, boiling, and fermentation.’ Zhang Jianjun introduced.

Craft Beer emphasizes handcrafted production and the spirit of craftsmanship. It is made with natural raw materials including malt, hops, yeast and water, without adding artificial additives. It is brewed through a low-temperature fermentation process. Different types of craft beer, due to variations in ingredients and recipes, bring a wide range of unique flavour characters to the brew.

Up to now, there have been 5,625 craft beer-related companies in China. The 2023 Craft Beer Industry Research Report estimated that in 2025, China's craft beer consumption capacity will reach 230,000 kiloliters, and there will be an annual compound growth of 17%.

In major supermarkets, shopping malls, and various types of online platforms, craft beer is gaining increasingly prominent shelf space.

‘In the past, craft beer barely stood out on the shelves. Now, there are rows of craft beer.’ In a supermarket in Nantong, Ms. Wang, a citizen who was choosing craft beer, said.

‘Now, the craft beer market in Nantong is becoming increasingly competitive.’ Zhang Jianjun introduced that the local craft beer market is showing a diversified landscape: leading brands like Budweiser and Tsingtao account for 65% of the market share; regional front-runners such as ‘Jing-A’ and ‘Panda Brew’ focus on local culture and have built strong fan bases; small and medium-sized brands survive through differentiated positioning such as ‘farm-sourced ingredients’ and ‘handcrafted brewing.’

On Chengshan Road, a community craft beer tavern —— ‘Fenfu’, captivates the taste buds of many young people. After 9 pm every Friday and Saturday, the shop will have a passenger flow peak, with 20 to 30 people sitting there.

In addition to the niche tone, the ‘sense of atmosphere’ and ‘relaxation’ pursued by young people are also reflected in craft beer consumption. At Fenfu, customers can sign up for the ‘One-day bartender’ event, put down their identity tags for the day, and have more interactions with beer and people.

Deeply rooted in Nantong market for years, Zhang Jianjun has discovered the development path of ‘Mai Pi Craft Beer’: to build a ‘beer workshop at doorstep’.

A few days ago, Tunwan Munich Beer Restaurant located in Nantong Economic & Technological Development Area started trial operation. It launched multiple types of craft beer such as amber lager, dark beer and wheat beer. As an international business support facility, apart from catering to customers’ daily consumption, the restaurant also needs to satisfy the taste buds of foreign consumers especially German guests.

Zhang Jianjun said that the core strengths of craft beer lie in its ‘community warmth’ and ‘commitment to flavour’——preserving the freshness, sincerity and craftsmanship ‘at doorstep’, and consistently brewing flavours that evoke a heart-warming ambience.