Y椰树牌

Product brand

A Hainan beverage brand best known for coconut juice, distinctive high-contrast packaging, and highly controversial attention-driven advertising.

Last updated October 9, 2026

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Overview

Y椰树牌 is the principal consumer brand associated with Y椰树 Group, a Hainan beverage manufacturer whose best-known product is packaged coconut juice. The brand grew from the former Haikou Canned Food Factory, a state-owned factory established in 1956, and became closely identified with the recovery and privatization of that business. Its modern commercial history began in the late 1980s, when the factory developed a coconut beverage designed to preserve the flavor and shelf life of coconut juice without relying on preservatives. That technical achievement helped turn a local resource advantage—Hainan’s coconut supply—into a mass-market packaged drink. The brand’s early expansion combined product claims, distribution, and institutional endorsement. In 1988, the factory reportedly returned to profit after years of losses. In 1991, Y椰树牌 coconut juice was selected by Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse as a banquet beverage, after which the company promoted the “state banquet beverage” association nationally. By the mid-1990s, the brand had become one of China’s leading beverage names, and the factory was reorganized as Y椰树 Group in 1995. The enterprise later completed a transition to employee ownership, with the remaining state assets transferred to an employee shareholding structure in 2006. Y椰树牌’s visual identity is unusually direct. Its cartons and cans commonly use black backgrounds, saturated red, yellow, blue, and green blocks, dense explanatory copy, and prominent claims about coconut origin, freshness, and production methods. Supporters see this as highly efficient product communication and an instantly recognizable “moving billboard”; critics describe it as unsophisticated or visually aggressive. The style is closely associated with former group leader Wang Guangxing, who was trained as a designer and has been described as personally involved in packaging and advertising decisions. The brand’s marketing has also relied heavily on provocative sexualized imagery and double meanings. Campaigns from the late 1990s onward used phrases associated with beauty, body shape, and drinking frequency, while later promotions featured female models and slogans such as “I drank it from childhood to adulthood.” These campaigns generated extensive publicity but also repeated criticism, investigations, advertising penalties, broadcast restrictions, and accusations of misleading or vulgar promotion. The controversy has become part of the brand’s public identity rather than an isolated incident. Commercially, Y椰树牌 remains centered on coconut juice and related plant-based beverages. The group has also sold pomegranate juice, other fruit drinks, mineral water, canned and food products, and has experimented with livestreaming and collaborations. A notable modernization effort came in 2022, when Y椰树 partnered with Luckin Coffee on the coconut-flavored Coconut Cloud Latte. The collaboration connected the legacy brand with younger consumers and the fast-growing coconut-coffee category. Nevertheless, reporting has characterized the business as relatively dependent on its core coconut-juice franchise, with growth slower than the wider coconut beverage market. The brand remains active and widely recognized in China, particularly for its long product history, low-to-mid-market accessibility, distinctive packaging, and polarizing advertising.

History

Y椰树牌’s history is inseparable from that of Y椰树 Group and the former Haikou Canned Food Factory. The factory was established in 1956 in Haikou, Hainan, with investment from the then Guangdong provincial industrial authorities. It operated from the site of an earlier Japanese-owned enterprise and initially produced canned foods. From 1981 through 1985, the factory suffered sustained losses and was described in contemporary accounts as one of the region’s most troubled industrial enterprises. In January 1986, Wang Guangxing was appointed factory director. His subsequent turnaround combined management reform, employee incentives, product development, and unusually assertive promotion. Wang and his technical team identified coconut juice as a promising product because Hainan had abundant coconut resources. The technical challenge was preservation: fresh coconut juice was difficult to store and transport, while competing products were often described as relying on flavoring, preservatives, or coconut pulp and syrup systems. The factory offered substantial incentives for a process that could produce a stable beverage without preservatives. After an extended development effort, a coconut juice product was introduced in 1988. Accounts differ in how the technical contribution is allocated among Wang, chief engineer Zheng Zilong, and packaging specialist Ke Lanting, but all three are commonly associated with the factory’s transformation. The new product helped the factory return to profit in 1988 and established the foundation for the Y椰树牌 brand. Marketing accelerated the product’s transition from a Hainan specialty to a national beverage. During the formation of Hainan Province in 1988, the company promoted Y椰树牌 as a regional designated beverage. In 1991, the product was selected by Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse as a banquet beverage. The company turned this institutional association into a national positioning claim, frequently describing the product as a state-banquet beverage and linking it to visits by foreign and domestic leaders. In 1994, the company was reported to have become China’s leading beverage enterprise by sales. The factory was reorganized as Y椰树 Group in 1995 as part of the national reform of state-owned enterprises. Ownership reform was lengthy and contentious. The company experimented with internal shareholding from the late 1980s, and employee ownership became the preferred route for resolving the question of whether the enterprise should be sold externally or transferred internally. The group was identified as a pilot for modern enterprise systems, and the Hainan Y椰树 Employee Shareholding Association was established in 1996. In 2006, the remaining state-owned interests were transferred through the reform process, making the employee shareholding structure the reported ultimate owner. The reform period also produced disputes over management authority, allocation of shares, and the role of Wang Guangxing, who remained a central figure in the company’s governance. The brand’s packaging and advertising developed in parallel with its business growth. Earlier television advertising used relatively conventional emotional storytelling, but from 1999 the company increasingly adopted direct slogans linking regular consumption with beauty and body shape. During the 2000s, commercials and outdoor advertisements used female models, beach settings, and suggestive language. Product packaging became dense with product claims and bright blocks of color on a dark background. The company treated the approach as direct, efficient communication of selling points; critics viewed it as visually crude, sexualized, or misleading. This tension became a recurring feature of the brand’s public profile. Controversy intensified in the 2009 period, when advertisements for pomegranate juice and other drinks used suggestive phrases and were reportedly ordered to stop after public complaints. Around 2013, promotional material associated with coconut juice was accused of implying a breast-enhancement effect. In 2016, the group introduced a mineral-water bottle associated with a bust-shaped design and a model, which was widely criticized and subsequently reported as withdrawn. In 2019, a new coconut-juice package featuring actress Xu Dongdong used the slogan “I drank it from childhood to adulthood.” The campaign generated extensive online discussion, while related promotional language prompted investigation and penalties. Broadcast authorities were also reported to have ordered certain advertisements off air. The company continued to use controversy-driven communications in the 2020s. In 2021, a recruitment advertisement promising unusually broad benefits and romantic attention resulted in a reported regulatory fine. In 2022, the group entered a more conventional form of brand innovation through its partnership with Luckin Coffee, contributing coconut branding to the Coconut Cloud Latte. The launch connected the legacy brand with younger consumers and the expanding coconut-coffee trend. From 2022 onward, the company also expanded into livestream commerce, where performances and provocative presentation again attracted attention. By 2023, reported group sales reached 5 billion yuan, but coverage also described a long period of relatively slow growth and continued dependence on the core coconut-juice business. The brand has remained active, highly recognizable, and commercially important in China. Its legacy rests on a genuine product and manufacturing breakthrough, Hainan-based supply advantages, employee ownership, and decades of distribution. Its main contemporary challenge is balancing that accumulated recognition with product diversification, modern brand communication, regulatory compliance, and competition from newer plant-based beverage and coconut-coffee brands.

2024
He Chunling becomes chairwoman
[6]Y椰树 Group governance change in 2024stcn.com
Corporate registration changes reported in 2024 showed He Chunling succeeding Zhao Bo as chairwoman.
2023
Reported sales reach 5 billion yuan
[8]2023 sales and growth coverageeeo.com.cn
Media reports citing company figures said group sales reached 5 billion yuan in 2023.
2022
Coconut Cloud Latte collaboration
[3]Y椰树 Group joint marketing with Luckin Coffeenews.cn
Y椰树 collaborated with Luckin Coffee on a coconut-flavored coffee product, extending the brand into a younger consumption occasion.
2021
Recruitment advertising penalty
[13]Recruitment advertising penaltyfoodaily.com
A recruitment advertisement with extravagant promises was reported to have resulted in a regulatory penalty.
2019
“I drank it from childhood to adulthood” campaign
[12]“I drank it from childhood to adulthood” campaigndigitaling.com
A campaign featuring Xu Dongdong generated extensive discussion over sexualized presentation and ambiguous wording, followed by regulatory scrutiny.
2016
Bust-shaped mineral-water packaging controversy
[11]Bust-shaped mineral-water packaging controversycbndata.com
A mineral-water package associated with a bust-shaped design and a female model triggered public criticism and was later reported as withdrawn.
2006
Privatization through employee ownership completed
[2]Y椰树 Group Hainan Coconut Beverage Company reference entrybaike.baidu.com
Reported reform records state that the group completed its transition from state ownership to employee ownership in 2006.
1999
Beauty-oriented advertising becomes a core device
[4]Advertising controversy timelinem.cbndata.com
The brand began using the “every day” beauty-oriented advertising theme that later evolved into more suggestive campaigns.
1996
Employee shareholding association established
[7]Advertising and corporate history coveragem.21jingji.com
The Hainan Y椰树 Employee Shareholding Association was established as part of the company’s internal ownership reform.
1995
Y椰树 Group formed
[2]Y椰树 Group Hainan Coconut Beverage Company reference entrybaike.baidu.com
The former Haikou Canned Food Factory was reorganized as Y椰树 Group during China’s state-enterprise reform period.
1991
Selected as a Diaoyutai banquet beverage
[10]Selected as a Diaoyutai banquet beveragedigitaling.com
Y椰树牌 coconut juice was selected by Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, supporting its national “state banquet beverage” positioning.
1988
Coconut juice product introduced
[2]Y椰树 Group Hainan Coconut Beverage Company reference entrybaike.baidu.com
The factory developed a shelf-stable coconut juice that became the foundation of the Y椰树牌 brand and helped restore profitability.
1986
Wang Guangxing appointed factory director
[1]Y椰树 Group overviewzh.wikipedia.org
Wang Guangxing took charge of the loss-making factory and began a turnaround centered on reform, employee incentives, and new product development.
1956
Haikou Canned Food Factory established
[1]Y椰树 Group overviewzh.wikipedia.org
The predecessor of Y椰树 Group was established in Haikou as a canned-food factory.

Products and positioning

An accessible mass-market Chinese beverage brand built around Hainan coconut sourcing, long-standing product familiarity, strong claims of freshness and simple formulation, and an unmistakable high-impact visual identity.

Plant-based beverage · 1988
Y椰树牌 Coconut Juice
The brand’s signature product is a packaged coconut drink made from coconut material and marketed through Hainan provenance, fresh-coconut imagery, and claims emphasizing a simple formulation. Its dark package with bright contrasting blocks and dense explanatory copy is one of the most recognizable designs in China’s beverage market. The product is sold in multiple package formats and serves as the foundation of the group’s distribution, advertising, and institutional positioning.
Fruit beverage
Y椰树牌 Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice was among the group’s extensions beyond coconut juice. Its outdoor advertising in the late 2000s used suggestive double meanings and became part of the brand’s advertising controversies. Public reporting confirms the product line and the associated advertising disputes, but does not establish its current availability in every market.
Bottled water
Y椰树牌 Mineral Water
The group has marketed mineral water alongside its beverage portfolio. A 2016 packaging experiment associated with a bust-shaped bottle attracted substantial criticism and was subsequently reported as removed from the market. The episode illustrates how the group extended its provocative visual strategy beyond coconut juice.
Co-branded coffee beverage · 2022
Coconut Cloud Latte
Introduced with Luckin Coffee in 2022, Coconut Cloud Latte combined Luckin’s coffee platform with Y椰树’s coconut beverage identity. The collaboration was designed as a younger, café-oriented consumption format rather than a conventional packaged coconut drink. Reports described strong initial sales and significant social-media attention, making it the group’s most visible recent cross-brand product initiative.

Controversies

2023
Livestream and male-model performance controversy
The brand’s livestream activity included male-model dancing and other attention-oriented presentation. The content prompted renewed debate over whether the company’s established shock-marketing formula had become a brand risk.
Source
2021
Recruitment promises criticized and penalized
A recruitment advertisement promised graduates a car, housing, high salary, and romantic attention. It was criticized as sensational and was reported to have led to a 400,000-yuan regulatory penalty.
Source
2019
“I drank it from childhood to adulthood” advertising controversy
A campaign featuring Xu Dongdong and suggestive imagery was accused of using ambiguous language and implying a beauty or breast-enhancement function. The company and the actress disputed the interpretation, while regulators investigated related advertising and reported penalties and broadcast restrictions.
Source
2016
Bust-shaped mineral-water bottle
A packaging experiment for mineral water used a form associated with a woman’s bust and attracted criticism that it objectified women and relied on sexualized attention. Reports said the product was later withdrawn.
Source
2013
Breast-enhancement implication in coconut-juice advertising
Promotional language suggesting that applying or drinking coconut juice could make breasts fuller was criticized as vulgar and potentially misleading for an ordinary food product. Local authorities were reported to have investigated the matter.
Source
2009
Suggestive fruit-drink advertising complaints
Outdoor advertisements for pomegranate juice and other products used phrases with sexual double meanings. Public complaints were followed by reports that the advertisements were ordered to stop and that the company received an initial fine.
Source

2022Coconut Cloud Latte
China
Y椰树 and Luckin Coffee combined coconut flavor and coffee in a co-branded launch that used the contrast between Y椰树’s old-school identity and Luckin’s digital-native marketing.
Outcome. The collaboration generated strong initial demand and demonstrated that the brand could gain relevance through partnerships and new consumption occasions.
Source
2022Livestream commerce expansion
China
Y椰树 moved its high-impact visual language into livestream selling and short-video commerce.
Outcome. The approach produced attention but also renewed criticism over provocative performances and the suitability of the style for mainstream brand communication.
Source
2020We Love This Couple product placement
China
The group sponsored the dating variety program We Love This Couple and used the show to display a range of Y椰树 products.
Outcome. The sponsorship was reported as an effort to expose the legacy brand to younger consumers through entertainment content.
Source
2019I drank it from childhood to adulthood
China
A packaging and video campaign featuring actress Xu Dongdong used the slogan “I drank it from childhood to adulthood,” alongside familiar body- and beauty-oriented imagery.
Outcome. The campaign became a major online talking point, produced a large increase in attention, and also triggered criticism, investigation, and reported penalties.
Source
2018Y椰树 Style
China
The group experimented with a rap-influenced video in which a cartoon coconut character communicated product selling points through self-parody.
Outcome. It represented an attempt to engage internet-era audiences without abandoning the brand’s characteristic directness.
Source
2006White, tender, and curvaceous
China
Television and other advertising increasingly paired coconut juice with female models, beach imagery, and language about skin and body curves.
Outcome. The campaign strengthened brand memorability but also laid the groundwork for recurring criticism over sexualized and potentially misleading promotion.
Source
1999Every day, white and tender
China
The brand used a high-frequency television campaign built around the idea that drinking one serving every day would support a youthful and attractive appearance.
Outcome. The campaign established the beauty-oriented advertising formula that later became much more provocative.
Source
1991State-banquet beverage positioning
China
After selection by Beijing’s Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, the company promoted Y椰树牌 as a state-banquet beverage and emphasized its connection with official hospitality.
Outcome. The positioning gave a regional product national prestige and became a durable part of the brand’s communication.
Source
1988Hainan founding designated beverage promotion
Hainan China
During the establishment of Hainan Province, the company promoted Y椰树牌 coconut juice as a designated beverage connected with the new province. The campaign used regional pride and broad outdoor promotion to build local recognition before national expansion.
Outcome. It helped associate the brand with Hainan identity and supplied an early platform for expansion beyond the island.
Source

Brand decisions

2022
Partnership with Luckin CoffeeM&A
Background
Coconut flavor was becoming increasingly prominent in China’s beverage market, especially among younger consumers and in coffee products.
Action taken
Y椰树 partnered with Luckin Coffee to launch Coconut Cloud Latte.
Aftermath
The collaboration generated strong reported opening sales and gave Y椰树 a more contemporary route to reach younger consumers.
Reported first-week unit sales. More than 4.95 million cups (First week after the 2022 launch)
Source
2019
Response to advertising investigationOther
Background
The “I drank it from childhood to adulthood” campaign and related copy were criticized as sexually suggestive and potentially misleading.
Action taken
The company denied that it was promoting breast enhancement, offered an alternative explanation of the slogan, and continued to defend its advertising approach while regulators examined the material.
Aftermath
The campaign produced substantial publicity but also contributed to continuing regulatory and reputational concerns.
Source
2006
Completion of employee-ownership privatizationStrategy
Background
The group had pursued internal shareholding for years while debating whether ownership should be transferred to outside investors or employees.
Action taken
The remaining state-owned interests were transferred through an employee shareholding arrangement.
Aftermath
The Hainan Y椰树 Employee Shareholding Association became the reported ultimate owner, while governance disputes continued to shape the company’s public history.
Source
1995
Reorganization as Y椰树 GroupStrategy
Background
China’s state-owned enterprises were being reorganized and competitive industrial businesses were encouraged to adopt modern enterprise structures.
Action taken
The Haikou Canned Food Factory was reorganized as Y椰树 Group and began a broader ownership and subsidiary structure.
Aftermath
The reorganization created the corporate platform through which the Y椰树牌 brand expanded nationally.
Source
1988
Launch of preservative-free coconut juiceProduct launch
Background
Fresh coconut juice was difficult to preserve and distribute, while competing products were described as relying on additives or different coconut-milk formulations.
Action taken
The factory developed and commercialized a shelf-stable coconut beverage promoted around natural coconut content and the absence of preservatives.
Aftermath
The product became the core of Y椰树牌 and helped transform a loss-making canned-food factory into a major beverage producer.
Source

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