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Discussion keeps the world turning. This is Roundtable. You're listening to Roundtable with myself, He Young. I'm joined by Steve Hatherly and Yushan in the studio. Coming up, move over milk tea. This summer, it's all about that clear, cool, tropical goodness, coconut water. From gym rats to the nine to five crew, urban dwellers are stocking up for that healthy hydration glow up. But yes,
Is it just hype? Or is coconut water really the clean living staple people say it is? Let's crack open the can on this growing trend. And curious about social shifts, tech twists, or the mysteries of life? Let us talk about it.
Email us at roundtablepodcast at qq.com. Emails are fine, but voice memos get extra love. Our podcast listeners can find us at Roundtable China on Apple Podcast. Now let's move on to the next topic discussion today.
Coconut water is the clear fluid inside coconuts, and it is having a moment. Once a novelty thirst quencher on sandy beaches, coconut water and its clean label cousins now fuel daily routines from morning workouts to afternoon pick-me-ups.
As the mercury climbs, China's beverage industry is riding a whole new health wave. Think natural ingredients, clean labels, and vibes over calories. Today, we're breaking down the thirst for health in every sip and whether this liquid gold lives up to its wellness reputation. So how popular is coconut water in China these days? Oh, wow. The
That industry here in China alone is growing rapidly, as shown in the retail sales. Well, here's a calculation that can prove to it. So the retail sales grew from 102 million U.S. dollars in 2019 to over 1 billion U.S. dollars in 2024 and are projected to reach nearly 1.4 billion.
billion us dollars by 2025 here in china and also globally as driven by the health conscious trend the global retail sales of coconut water grew from roughly 2.5 billion us dollars in 2019 to nearly 5 billion us dollars in 2024 with a compound annual growth rate of about 15 and that's pretty impressive
And just to prove how popular it is, there's one recent news that says on April 2025, the coconut water brand IF, or IF, and I believe that's a brand from Thailand. It actually made headlines when its parent company filed for an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
So despite this company, despite only having 46 employees, they managed to ride on this wave of health-cautious consumer trends and generated around 160 million US dollars from the Chinese market in 2024 alone. So that's very impressive for one coconut brand. And yeah, just nowadays, we see a lot of co-workers in our very office that's having such a bottle of
Coconut water, you know, packaged with a green looking, fresh looking coconut on its outside decoration, just on the table everywhere. So, yeah. Yeah. Well, to give you a little bit of background, how this topic discussion was decided. When there's six people on a team and then suddenly you realize four of them.
have all had coconut water that day or the day before. And we were like, okay, so it's not just me then. I wasn't a part of that realization in that moment, but I drink coconut water maybe two or three times a week, I think, maybe. Yeah, yeah.
It's really yummy. I mean, if we want to look for reasons as to why people are loving coconut water these days, big here in China, big around the world, number one, for me, it tastes great. It's really good. But then it's also low in calories. It's only about 19 calories per, what, about 100 milliliters. It's fat-free. It's cholesterol-free. If you're looking to swap out a drink that's high in sugar,
or maybe some processed sports drinks that have a lot of sugar, but you're looking for something similar, then coconut water can be a great choice. There's lots of potassium. It's good for your cardiovascular health. It has antioxidants and minerals, vitamin C, magnesium, and this is all good for your digestive functions and just your body as a whole. So there's lots of reasons why people are jumping on the coconut water train, if you will. Well, Yushan, definitely.
After observing the market, why do you think that it's in recent years that coconut water has really caught on in China? Well, to me, it's because the taste is really good. And I think I remember we were talking about this on Roundtable previously, probably with Hong Lin, that young people...
Why not go the traditional tea route?
I mean, we're putting everything in tea nowadays. Even for coconut water, it already has this mildly sweet flavor, but we top that with, say, coffee, with cream plus coffee. That's kind of like a common product among the, say, the chain coffee brands these days, and also coconut water plus some Chinese...
traditional Chinese medicine herbs. I've seen that too. Quite mind-breaking, but not that topical.
type of people who will try it. But even though it's just something that young people is chasing nowadays. Yeah, and some people don't like tea. I don't like tea, which is, I'm in the wrong place for that, I know. Some people don't like water even, right? I know people who don't even enjoy drinking water. So this is just another alternative. That's true. I think. And again, all of those health benefits that we talked about before. But then there's just the shift, isn't there? There's the shift of
In, I guess, marketing and a shift in consumer preferences towards this functional beverage where you're drinking something that can also do something for you. It can help out your health. It can help out with minerals and-
Probiotics, we talked about that on Roundtable. Plant extracts, vitamins, what have you. This functional beverage industry is growing and customers are liking it. Yeah, and there's definitely a huge trend here in China and it's often associated with maybe the middle income bracket.
You have your avocado on toast or avocado milkshake, and then you definitely have your milk, excuse me, coconut water. It's kind of like a label in a way, you know, after your gym workout. And then these are, you know, part of the whole outfit. And once, you know, any... It's like a status symbol.
It is. Although it's, I mean, if you have like, oh yeah. And the, and the, the famous yoga pants and I'm not gonna name the brand. And then, you know, it's a certain image. And then I think coconut water has migrated its way to that set deal. Social media is hilarious. Look at how amazing I am. I'm drinking coconut water in my yoga pants. Life is great.
I'm sure it's marketed differently on YouTube. But yeah, that's the image now, isn't it? Because I was very astonished to find out just this morning that coconut water is actually commonly considered as a type of functional drink, given that it contains rich electrolytes and low calories and sugars and antioxidants and stuff like that, that not only quench your thirst, but beyond...
But provide things that's beyond basic hydration or nutrition, and it helps you to stay hydrated. But on top of that, it helps you to believe that you can perform better by drinking it, comparing with simply drinking water. Right. And is coconut water all healthy? Because that's kind of...
what you guys have been saying and is there anything to be cautious about coconut water? Not all coconut waters are created equal I guess. Coconut water has sugar by the way. It just has different amounts depending on the coconut itself. The
What makes up the coconut water can vary depending on how old the coconut is. The sugars, though, pardon me, the sugars, though, in a coconut come from natural, they're natural sugars, right? But if you start the, you mentioned it already, Yushan, coconut water plantings,
Right. Or coconut plus. That's where things can get a little unhealthier. Coconut water plus coconut milk, a drink like that, or juices, or sugar. You said coffee. People put coconut water in their coffee. Sometimes they do. Oh, I've never heard of that before. Is it good? I've never tried it. I don't like it, but I've known colleagues who do. But-
In general, your average unflavored pure coconut water does contain less sugar than processed drinks. But again, still natural sugars. And it's not for everyone, right? If patients are struggling with diabetes, for example, or people who are mindful of their diet, you don't want to be drinking coconut water, you know, daily.
five times a day in large amounts, that probably isn't your best option either. See, that's important for people to know. I checked with one of our co-workers who've been just drinking like a cow. No, that's not a... What drinks coconuts? Oh my gosh.
Like he was really gobbling. And I was like, you know, there's sugar in there, right? And he's like, what? You know, because coconut water doesn't equal to water. And then it's kind of important to remember that. So what do you see as the...
I suppose, big trends of the beverage industry these days that stand right next to coconut water. Well, that's across the beverage landscape. The surge in coconut water just underscores a fundamental pivot toward the clean, labeled, functional beverages that are blended into natural ingredients. And that is to target healthy beverages
So consumers who pay attention to their healthy benefits were fortified with vitamins and minerals, probiotics, as we talked about in previous shows, or plant extras as well. All of these are well packaged into these beverages and being marketed as a way that it's going to do good to your health. So if you want that lifestyle, if you want to try it with your yoga pants on and following all the YouTube lifestyle videos and become part of that group, then yeah, sure.
Come buy it. Again, though, remember, there's lots of natural sugars. There's about 11 to 12 grams of sugar per cup of coconut water. The calories are low. It's about 45 to 60. That's from an Ohio State University paper. You're still going to find lower amounts of sugar than you'll find in some sports drinks.
As a post-workout drink, it has its benefits too. That's when I drink it. I said I have it two or three times a week after the gym. It tastes amazing. But yeah, be careful with your intake. That's what they said in the Ohio State University paper as well. Don't replace it fully with water. And in gyms, in that gym that I go, I commonly see Chinese people not bringing...
Coconut water, but traditional Chinese drinks such as those that has red bean, barley, and just tonic water that has traditional Chinese medicine or herbs mixed inside. Goji berries? Something like that, yeah. And also red bean water. That one is so popular. I see it every single time I was in the Philippines. Oh, yeah. My wife loves that. Oh, no, thank you. Yeah.
So yeah, people just choose different beverages that's not just water and believe in their goodness in their health. So coconut water is just part of that mechanism. The examples you guys have given, they're all pretty natural stuff. I think that's pretty good. But with a lot of the other functional drinks out there in the market, you have no idea what's packed into those things. And...
In comparison, the natural option sounds just a lot better. Read the labels, though. Check the labels for sure. Oh, definitely. That's good to know. Coconut water might tick all the right boxes. Natural, low-calorie, clean, but let's not pretend it's a silver bullet in a market where healthy often means heavily marketed. Yeah.
Staying smart here is where we can start with reading the ingredients list and labels. Coming up next, let's have a moment of Heart to Heart. You ask. We answer. Roundtable. Heart to Heart. Who's got a question for Roundtable?
Hi Roundtable China members, this is Suzei from Chongqing. Today I want to share some thoughts about friendship. This idea came to me during an English activity a while ago when we were talking about friendship. Most people were discussing how important friends are and how they get along. But the teacher said something that really struck with me.
He believed that good friends should not live together. Everyone has different habits, right? Like some people sleep early while others stay up late. Or some are just super tidy while others are more relaxed about things. And those little differences when you are living together can lead to conflicts which might damage even the best friendships. I've experienced this myself.
I had a roommate who was also a close friend. We were really compatible no matter in terms of the personality or the outlook. But her loud snoring at night seriously messed with my sleep. I tried to adjust, but after a while, I was just so exhausted and stressed. I didn't know how to bring it up without hurting her feelings. And when I finally hinted at it,
She thought I was just so sensitive that misunderstanding created a rift between us. And eventually we drifted apart, I chose to move out of the dormitory and it was just so heartbreaking. But it taught me a big lesson. Sometimes a certain distance between friends is necessary to maintain friendship.
Now, I really believe that it's better for friends to have their own space. It doesn't mean we care for them any less. It's just about respecting boundaries and being mindful of the little things that could create unnecessary tension.
Anyway, I just want to share this with you because I thought it might resonate with others too. And before I go, I just want to say thank you for everything you do and your podcast brings so much joy and wisdom to my days. I hope all of you continue to do amazing work and have lots of happiness in your life. And thanks for listening. Thank you, Susie from Chongqing.
Okay, guys, what do you have to say? Well, Susie, in my case, I was the snoring roommate once when I was sharing. Wait, did you live with Susie? No, not Susie in particular, but a roommate of mine whom I've shared a dormitory with for the four years of our undergraduate years and also one year of our postgraduate in the UK. We shared a 12 kilometers small, tiny dormitory. And I remember her hitting on my bed in the middle of the night.
and hissing at me saying shut up I remember that shut up still today so Susie I totally get you and I'm so shocked that the you've already understood this at your age that the idea that even the best friends they they shouldn't live together is actually grounded in the reality that living together reveals size of a person that even close friendship might not prepare you for so yeah I
Go on with it, Susie. It's a good lesson that you've learned this. I lived with my best friend for a year. Are you still friends at all? That was a great year. It was awesome. It was awesome. It totally depends on your personalities, right? There's no definitive answer to this. Sometimes it will work. Sometimes it won't work. But I think we all learned an important lesson here today. Find out how much they snore.
Or if they're clean. Before you agree to live in the same room with them. Yeah, I mean, he and I, we had a great time. But...
Our circumstances were different because when I lived with my best friend, he's my best friend from middle school. And yeah, to answer your question, he's still my best friend now. But we moved to Korea together. So we had that bond on top of the bond that we already had. So that made things a whole lot easier. I had a great experience with it. Okay. Well, I think it's true that living with friends do bring up some challenges. And Susie, you sound...
pretty young to me. You're probably still a college student. And as a big sister, quite a bit older than you, I realized that we move through different stages in life and our perspectives can shift in unexpected ways.
And maybe a dream I'm going to share about here. I had this and I don't think it's that easy to realize as I originally imagined. But hear me out. I can't help but think about the future and how things will change as we get older. I mean, after we're 60 or 70, I don't know.
A lot of us, especially in the millennial and Gen Z generations, may not have been married or have kids around. So there's something really comforting about the idea of friends coming together after retirement. That's what I'm thinking about already. Sharing a space and supporting one another. I won't lie. Your message did wrap up.
a wet blanket to my hopeful vision. But hey, who knows what life will bring. If we are lucky enough to get there,
Maybe necessity will make us put aside the feeling of inconvenience, as you have so perfectly demonstrated, and turn my retirement dream into a reality. Who can predict what we'll need and when we're that bit older? Thanks again for making me think a little bit deeper on this. And it's always great to hear your thoughts. And that brings us to the end of today's show. We'll see you next time.