Introduction:Recently, GuMing launched an "Early Morning Fresh Milk" priced at just 8 RMB, using chilled fresh milk brands such as Yue Xianhuo and Wei Gang. Customers can choose between hot or cold options, sparking widespread discussion among consumers. Is this new product an affordable alternative to convenience store fresh milk, or simply a KPI-driven creation from the brand’s R&D team? This article delves into its formulation, price advantage, market feedback, and explores its potential business strategy.

GuMing quietly introduced a new product called "Early Morning Fresh Milk" via its mini-program. Made purely with fresh milk, customers can customize their drink as either hot or cold. Priced at 8 RMB for a 500ml cup, the product uses commonly available chilled fresh milk brands that the brand routinely employs for its tea beverages—such as Yue Xianhuo, Wei Gang, and Ren Yang Yi Tou Niu. Consumers who have tried it report that the taste is nearly identical to that of fresh milk found in supermarkets or convenience stores.

As soon as the product was launched, online discussions quickly divided into two camps. Some netizens pointed out that, in the current market,8 RMB only buys you 500ml of fresh milk—a price that doesn’t offer any clear advantage. Some even suggested it might be better to simply go to a 24-hour convenience store or opt for more cost-effective imported brands like "Blue Giant" to make your own drink. However, some consumers believe that this fresh milk serves as a good base for making homemade lattes—you can add espresso or various bubble tea toppings to enhance enjoyment. When paired with a certain brand’s espresso concentrate, the overall flavor can be significantly improved.

Nevertheless, most netizens are puzzled by GuMing’s move, believing that compared to the wide variety of bottled fresh milk on supermarket shelves, this product lacks both a notable price or flavor advantage. Some directly criticized it as a “filler new product” developed by the R&D department just to meet KPIs, even joking that “they’re forcing something out without a real purpose.” The market has also drawn comparisons to GuMing’s previously launched 1 RMB iced water, raising questions about the direction of the brand’s innovation.

Attentive netizens also noticed that GuMing has recently rolled out seemingly simple yet surprisingly creative products like iced water and lemonade. This has led to speculation that the brand may be planning to enter the breakfast market. Some even suggest that future products like iced soy milk could be in the pipeline, further expanding into breakfast or light meal categories. “Is soy milk next?” “Feels like they’re going into breakfast—maybe testing the waters with some light food,” similar speculations have been frequently discussed on social media platforms.

Despite the predominance of teasing and skepticism in online comments, some consumers still see practical value in this fresh milk. Buyers can use it as a base, adding coffee concentrate or various tea toppings to create personalized, relatively low-cost lattes or flavored drinks. For those who enjoy experimenting with beverage mixing, this may present an opportunity to try new combinations and experience the fun of DIY drinks.

In summary, while the launch of GuMing’s "Early Morning Fresh Milk" has sparked considerable controversy, it also showcases the brand’s diverse experimentation within its product line. Whether viewed as a breakfast pairing option, an R&D innovation experiment, or a market-testing move, this new product becomes an intriguing lens through which to observe GuMing’s branding strategy. For consumers, whether or not to purchase it may ultimately depend more on personal drinking habits and perceptions of value.

The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.