Portable coffee is experiencing a new growth surge. On August 3, official data from Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee revealed that cumulative sales of its coffee liquid had surpassed 900 million cups as of July 1, 2026.
On the same day, Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee partnered with its global brand ambassador Wang Yibo for a synchronized debut on the Asia Light Giant Screen in Chongqing and the TSX billboard in New York's Times Square, using these iconic Eastern and Western Hemisphere landmarks to commemorate this sales milestone.
Coffee Liquid Becomes a New Growth Driver for Portable Coffee
Relevant data shows that the coffee liquid category saw an 18.5% year-over-year increase in online sales for the full year of 2025, and a 15.6% year-over-year growth in the first half of 2026, maintaining consistent double-digit expansion. Meanwhile, Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee's coffee liquid products achieved a 68.6% year-over-year online growth in 2025 and a 19.6% increase in the first half of 2026, outpacing the overall coffee liquid market. Within the broader market, the coffee liquid category has now secured the third-highest sales position among the five major pre-packaged coffee categories, emerging as one of the fastest-growing segments in portable coffee.
This shift reflects an evolution in consumer demand. According to data from iiMedia Research, flavor has become the primary factor for Chinese consumers when purchasing instant coffee in 2025, accounting for 47.79% of considerations. In terms of desired innovations for instant coffee, flavor innovation leads at 68.38%, followed by packaging innovation at 50.32% and category innovation at 39.92%. This indicates that portable coffee consumption has moved beyond mere convenience, progressing toward a comprehensive upgrade in taste, format, and usage scenarios. In recent years, young consumers' growing demand for low-sugar, low-fat, authentic milk flavor, cold beverage options, diverse flavors, and fresh-brew-like experiences has made traditional "3-in-1" and "2-in-1" instant coffee products seem outdated. Compared to traditional powdered instant coffee, coffee liquid simplifies preparation with a "tear and pour" method, lowering the barrier to mixing and adapting easily to various combinations like ice water, milk, sparkling water, and coconut water. Competition in portable coffee has thus shifted from "is it convenient?" to "does it taste good, offer freedom, and allow versatility?"
From Product Form to Lifestyle: "Tear and Pour" Becomes Everyday
The growth of Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee liquid begins with a transformation in product form. Taking the Classic Italian Black Coffee from the Aroma Series as an example, Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee emphasizes zero sugar and zero fat for the entire line, with approximately 8 calories per cup. It boasts a 14x high concentration, with a recommended brewing ratio of 1:13. The product uses nitrogen-flush technology for freshness within 24 hours and is quality-controlled by Q-Grader international coffee quality assessors. It dissolves instantly in temperatures from 0 to 100 degrees Celsius, and its individual packaging makes it highly portable.
The recent landmark screen campaign with Wang Yibo has further amplified the youthful expression of Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee liquid. Wang Yibo's image of fashion, vitality, and self-transcendence aligns with the modern portable coffee lifestyle promoted by Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee. From "buying the same product" to sharing DIY recipes, coffee liquid is evolving into a new medium connecting product experience, social content, and consumption scenarios.
Ready-to-Drink Coffee Expands, Luckin Accelerates All-Scene Coffee Strategy
Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee is a pre-packaged coffee brand refreshed in July 2024, with the slogan "Good coffee anytime, anywhere." Its product range includes coffee liquid, bottled ready-to-drink coffee, instant coffee, coffee beans, capsule coffee, and drip coffee bags, designed to meet high-quality coffee needs across various scenarios like home, office, and travel. In April of this year, Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee officially launched new bottled ready-to-drink coffee products, simultaneously appointing Wang Yibo as its global brand ambassador. The initial launch included three flavors: Coconut Latte, Classic Americano, and Yuzu C Americano, which gradually entered national supermarkets, convenience stores, and online channels, further enriching the ready-to-drink product matrix in retail settings.
Against the backdrop of intensifying competition in the pre-packaged coffee market, Luckin Ready-to-Drink Coffee liquid surpassing 9 billion cups indicates that coffee liquid has moved from being a novelty product to a staple in broader daily consumption. As the product lineup expands, channels continue to broaden, and youth-oriented content gains traction, the growth logic for portable coffee is shifting from the "easy brewing" of the traditional instant era to the "free mixing, instant enjoyment" of the coffee liquid era.
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