A Moutai-affiliated sauce-aroma baijiu originally priced at 156 RMB has quietly dropped to around 60 RMB on e-commerce platforms. This fluctuation in channel pricing reflects a brutal shakeout in the mass-market sauce-aroma baijiu sector. On August 6th, an internal document numbered "Qian Mao Bao Xiao Tong [2025] No. 59" circulated within the industry. It announced that Moutai Health Liquor Sales Co., Ltd. would cease production of the old version of "Taiyuan Jiu" (53°500ml*6, launched in 2023). Notably, just two days prior (August 4th), a new product, "Taiyuan Hong," featuring a redesigned red bottle with traditional motifs like Chinese knots, clouds, magpies, pine trees, and gourds, was unveiled. It promises improved quality without a price increase, maintaining its affordable 100-RMB positioning for "premium quality at a popular price."

The mass-market baijiu segment is a key window into China's liquor industry transformation. Yet, within the 100-RMB range, sauce-aroma baijiu underperforms compared to light-aroma, strong-aroma, and blended-aroma types. The rapid replacement of Taiyuan Jiu highlights the struggles of affordable sauce-aroma baijiu.

In March 2023, Taiyuan Jiu launched at 156 RMB/bottle. Leveraging its Moutai lineage and status as the group's sole strategic mass-market sauce-aroma product, it sparked online buying frenzies, often selling out instantly. Its annual sales exceeded 1 billion RMB, making it Moutai Health Liquor's first billion-RMB product. However, behind these impressive figures lay channel turmoil. Within two years, its price on platforms like JD.com fell to nearly 40% of its official price, reaching as low as 56.3 RMB/bottle.

This severe price inversion damaged channel confidence and forced the manufacturer to take drastic measures, leading to the old product's discontinuation. This decision followed months of efforts, including dealer meetings in February and April 2025 focusing on market challenges and strategies like "controlling volume, raising prices, and moving slowly," alongside extensive market research trips by company executives.

Taiyuan Jiu's predicament is not isolated. It reflects broader issues in the mass sauce-aroma market: rampant产能 (production capacity) clashing with rational consumption, high brand溢价 (premiums) lacking market support, and失控 (out-of-control) price inversion.

Industry experts point to several core issues: reliance on pressuring dealers and recruitment for quick sales without sustained market cultivation; fierce competition in the 100-RMB "red ocean" where local brands dominate; and the challenge of appealing to price- and brand-sensitive consumers who seek both affordability and popularity. Furthermore, the profit margins for sauce-aroma baijiu in this segment are lower than other aroma types, and sacrificing quality for price harms the entire category. The absence a benchmark 100-RMB sauce-aroma brand speaks volumes.

While policymakers advocate for developing a "national sauce-aroma" category in the 100-500 RMB range, the path is fraught. Established aroma types have strong consumer mindshare. Mass-market sauce-aroma baijiu faces a "value paradox"—its historically promoted image of "high price equals high quality" clashes sharply with its new affordable positioning.

Deeper issues lie in systemic industry shortcomings: a lack of brand building,精细化 (refined) market operation, channel maintenance, and product portfolio planning. Breaking through requires more than price cuts or new products; it demands a profound self-revolution. The industry must reconcile the value of its craftsmanship with efficient mass-market models, reshape consumer perception beyond "expensive = good," and address critical gaps in operational sophistication and brand building.

Ultimately, the "lightness" of the 100-RMB price point tests whether the sauce-aroma sector can transition from speculative practices to a sustainable, consumer-value-centric model. The outcome will determine if mass-market sauce-arom