Yingjia Tribute Liquor Core Series Renamed, Company Responds: "It's a Packaging Upgrade, with a Clearer Hierarchy of High, Middle, and Low-End Products"

Translated from: Daily Economic News

Written by | Daily Economic News Zhang Baolian

Why has “Dongcang” quietly transformed into “Yingjia” and “Gongjiu”?

Recently, as the core product line of Yingjia Gongjiu (603198.SH), the subtle changes in the packaging of the “Dongcang” series have attracted market attention. The new packaging not only features multiple versions of “Yingjia” and “Gongjiu,” but also significantly downplays the well-known “Dongcang” label.

As the absolute mainstay of Yingjia Gongjiu’s performance growth in recent years, the Dongcang series has contributed nearly 80% of revenue, and its brand label changes have stirred market nerves. This packaging “makeover” coincides with a subtle moment of leadership change at the company and pressures on performance.

Recently, a relevant person from the board of directors of Yingjia Gongjiu explained to a reporter from Daily Economic News (hereinafter referred to as “the reporter”) that this is due to packaging upgrades, which clarify the high, medium, and low product tiers. The change in packaging label is not directly related to the change in general manager.

The reporter found through channels like the China Trademark Network that the trademark applications for “Ecological Dongcang” and “Yingjia Gongjiu Ecological Dongcang” have been rejected. The changes in the core product packaging series raise the question: is this an active shift for brand upgrade, or a reluctant move due to trademark setbacks?

Reporter Zhang Baolian photographed

The new packaging of the Dongcang series has two changes: the “Dongcang” characters are downplayed.

On March 25, the reporter saw at a large chain supermarket that both new and old packaging of Yingjia Gongjiu’s “Dongcang” series products coexisted on the shelves. Without comparison, it is difficult to spot the subtle differences.

Taking “Dong9” as an example, the product name at the top and bottom of the box has some printed as “Gong9 Jiu” and others as “Ying9 Jia.” The vertical text in the center of the box has also changed from “Yingjia Gongjiu·Yingjia Dongcang” to “Yingjia Gongjiu·Yingjia Gongjiu,” and the same goes for “Dong6.” Supermarket sales staff stated that these packaging variations are just external differences, and the contents of the bottles are exactly the same.

Regarding the changes in packaging, a relevant person from the board of directors of Yingjia Gongjiu stated in response to the reporter’s phone interview that this is a normal packaging upgrade by the company, aimed at clarifying the high, medium, and low product tiers, with no changes in the liquor and quality.

The customer service of Yingjia Gongjiu’s official Tmall flagship store stated that the Dongcang series packaging has been fully upgraded, with “Yingjia” being the packaging introduced last year, and “Gongjiu” being the new packaging launched this year, with consumers receiving random shipments when purchasing online. “It’s just a packaging upgrade, and there is no name change.”

It is worth mentioning that on March 10, Yingjia Gongjiu announced a change in general manager, with Qin Hai resigning from the general manager position about six months early, and appointing the 75-born “veteran” Yang Zhaobing as general manager.

It is understood that Yang Zhaobing was previously a workshop employee at the former Foziling Distillery, working long-term on the sales front, having held positions such as director of the Tongling office of Yingjia Distillery Sales Company, director of the Hefei office, manager of the Xi’an office, regional manager for Anqing, and regional manager for Anhui.

Market analysis has pointed out that Yang Zhaobing, who assumed the position at this time, faces both internal and external challenges. On one hand, it is well-known that the industry is in a period of adjustment, affecting both large and small distilleries; on the other hand, there is a core series name change for Dongcang from within Yingjia Gongjiu, which may risk shaking the brand recognition built over many years.

Behind the rebranding, the “Yingjia Gongjiu Ecological Dongcang” trademark is invalid.

The active withdrawal of the “Dongcang” core label from the packaging may also be related to the obstacles faced in Yingjia Gongjiu’s trademark applications.

On March 26, the reporter found through the China Trademark Network that Yingjia Gongjiu currently holds trademarks containing “Dongcang,” such as “Yingjia Dongcang” and “Yingjia Gongjiu Year Dongcang.”

However, the trademark status of “Yingjia Gongjiu Ecological Dongcang” is “invalid.” In 2019 and 2021, Yingjia Gongjiu’s applications were both rejected; additionally, in 2020, the company’s application for the “Ecological Yingjia” trademark was also rejected.

Regarding the rejection of “Yingjia Gongjiu Ecological Dongcang,” the Trademark Office pointed out that the applied trademark consists of the words “Yingjia Gongjiu” and “Ecological Dongcang,” where “Ecological” refers to the living conditions of all organisms and is now mostly associated with good things. The applied trademark, used on products like rice wine, is likely to lead consumers to misunderstand the quality and characteristics of the designated goods, thereby leading to misguided purchases.

Under the spotlight, Yingjia Gongjiu’s hidden dangers have emerged. In terms of performance, Yingjia Gongjiu’s revenue growth rate for 2024 has already slowed compared to previous periods, and both revenue and net profit for the fourth quarter of 2024 have decreased year-on-year.

Entering 2025, affected by the overall industry environment, Yingjia Gongjiu’s performance is also facing a crisis. The company’s Q3 report for 2025 shows that revenue for the first three quarters is 4.516 billion yuan, down 18.09% year-on-year; net profit is 1.511 billion yuan, a decrease of 24.67% year-on-year.