The company lists its headquarters and contact address in Qiantang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. 14

The Chinese brand name 百草味 translates literally to “the flavours of a hundred herbs and plants”. This references the traditional legend of Shennong tasting hundreds of herbs, reflecting the brand’s original positioning as a provider of diverse food varieties. 2

BE＆CHEERY serves as the international English identity. In marketing campaigns, particularly in 2019, the brand has also utilised the tagline “A Taste of China”. 2 It is distinct from the operating entity, Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co., Ltd., and its parent company, PepsiCo.

Founding and physical retail (2003–2009)

BE＆CHEERY was founded in 2003 with the opening of its first physical store in Hangzhou. Initially operating under a conventional retail model, the company sold a wide assortment of affordable snacks directly to consumers. At its peak during this era, the physical store network reportedly exceeded 160 locations. 13 This period established the brand’s characteristic strategy of offering a broad product assortment rather than relying on a single category.

E-commerce transformation (2010–2013)

In 2010, BE＆CHEERY entered Taobao Mall (now Tmall), marking a strategic pivot towards online retail and direct-to-consumer commerce. This shift coincided with the rapid expansion of China’s e-commerce sector. By 2013, the brand had become a significant online retailer, reporting single-day sales of RMB 21.4 million during the Double 11 shopping festival. 13

Marketing IP and entertainment partnerships (2014–2016)

In 2014, the company launched the “517 Foodie Festival” (517吃货节), establishing May 17 as a dedicated consumption event. Concurrently, BE＆CHEERY began constructing a comprehensive headquarters complex in Linjiang, encompassing R&D, production, warehousing and logistics facilities. 3 This marked its evolution from a pure retailer to a consumer brand with proprietary marketing intellectual property.

Entertainment marketing intensified in the mid-2010s. In 2015, actor Yang Yang was signed as a spokesperson, and the brand sponsored the Oxygen Music Festival. 15 In 2016, BE＆CHEERY introduced branded concepts such as “Hug Fruit” and “Renren Fruit”, alongside product placements in film and television productions. These initiatives were designed to compete on brand personality and social media visibility rather than price alone.

Expansion and Daily Nuts (2017–2019)

By 2017, annual sales reached RMB 4 billion, and the Linjiang headquarters base was completed. 14 The company also established a Food Research Institute jointly with Jiangnan University to systematise product R&D. 14

A key product innovation occurred in 2018 with the launch of Daily Nuts. This product combined nuts and dried fruits in individual portions using a patented freshness-preservation design that separated ingredients to maintain quality. It generated over RMB 100 million in sales within three months and reached approximately RMB 400 million for the year. 12 Daily Nuts reinforced the brand’s association with healthier snacking.

In 2019, BE＆CHEERY pursued an omnichannel strategy by opening “Snack Selection” stores and integrating online commerce with physical retail formats. 13 That same year, Jackson Yee (易烊千玺) was appointed brand ambassador, and the “Chinese Flavor Snack Show” was launched in cooperation with Tmall under the message “BE＆CHEERY — A Taste of China”. 4

On 23 February 2020, PepsiCo announced an agreement to acquire Hangzhou Haomusi Food Co., Ltd. from Haoxiangni Health Food Co., Ltd. for approximately US$705 million. 391011 The transaction was completed on 1 June 2020, with PepsiCo filings stating the total purchase consideration was approximately US$700 million. 8

Strategic rationale

The acquisition was driven by complementary strengths. BE＆CHEERY contributed deep local consumer insight, robust e-commerce capabilities, direct-to-consumer infrastructure and expertise in nuts and dried fruits. Conversely, PepsiCo provided massive manufacturing scale, established offline distribution networks and international resources. 811 PepsiCo explicitly described BE＆CHEERY as complementary to its existing China snack portfolio and initially intended for it to operate as an independent business unit. 7

Post-acquisition integration

BE＆CHEERY is accurately characterised as a Chinese snack business owned by PepsiCo, rather than a global PepsiCo brand. While maintaining its distinct identity, the company has integrated its products into PepsiCo’s brick-and-mortar distribution system in China, while introducing select PepsiCo products into BE＆CHEERY’s direct-to-consumer ecosystem. 5 Corporate disclosures continue to list BE＆CHEERY as an acquired local brand, though financial reporting sometimes excludes its portfolio from specific global convenient-food metrics due to its distinct business characteristics. 7

BE＆CHEERY operates as a multi-category snack company. Its official product classification includes: 6

Nuts and seeds

• Mixed nuts
• Almonds
• Cashews
• Pistachios
• Peanuts
• Seeds
• Nut gift boxes

Dried and preserved fruits

• Dried mango
• Raisins
• Cranberries
• Dried strawberries
• Fruit strips
• Preserved fruit

Meat snacks

• Dried meat
• Meat jerky
• Meat products
• Savoury protein snacks

Seafood snacks

• Dried seafood
• Fish-based snacks
• Other seafood products

Dried tofu and vegetable snacks

• Dried tofu
• Vegetable snacks
• Savoury plant-based products

Bakery and confectionery

• Pastries
• Cakes
• Cookies
• Puffed snacks
• Packaged baked goods

The company emphasises sourcing from quality producing regions and continuous product innovation across these categories. 12

BE＆CHEERY is defined by its digital-first origins. Unlike traditional manufacturers reliant on distributors, the company developed around online platforms, utilising a cycle of data-driven product development, digital marketing and direct consumer feedback to enable rapid iteration. 13

The current operational model is omnichannel, combining:
* E-commerce platforms
* Supermarkets and physical retail
* New retail formats
* Livestream commerce
* Direct-to-consumer channels

This strategy leverages BE＆CHEERY’s digital strengths alongside PepsiCo’s offline distribution capabilities. 7 As of 2024, the company launched an end-to-end digital system to digitise production, sales and logistics, and announced investments in self-owned manufacturing facilities to increase supply chain control. 14

BE＆CHEERY is considered one of China’s leading local snack companies, historically discussed alongside competitors such as Three Squirrels (三只松鼠), Bestore (良品铺子), Laiyifen (来伊份) and Yankershop (盐津铺子). 7 Its competitive advantage lies in combining broad product variety with e-commerce expertise and local consumer insight.

From a business history perspective, BE＆CHEERY is significant for several reasons:
* E-commerce pioneer: Its 2010 transition coincided with the explosion of China’s consumer internet economy.
* Brand building: It helped establish the modern Chinese snack brand through recognisable packaging, celebrity campaigns and proprietary shopping festivals.
* Data-driven innovation: Products like Daily Nuts demonstrated the ability of online snack companies to rapidly commercialise new formats based on consumer trends. 12
* Digital access for multinationals: For PepsiCo, the acquisition provided access to a mature local direct-to-consumer business model.
* Globalisation example: It illustrates the trajectory of a domestic Chinese consumer brand developing a large local following before joining a global corporation.

While primarily a Chinese consumer brand, BE＆CHEERY maintains an international-facing English website and export contacts. The official site presents the company as sourcing ingredients globally. 1 However, its strongest market position remains within China, with PepsiCo providing the international corporate infrastructure. 7

14

As of 2026, BE＆CHEERY remains a PepsiCo-owned Chinese snack business. It continues to operate with its own consumer-facing identity and official website. 7 Current strategic priorities include nuts and dried fruits, health-oriented snacking, product innovation, digital and livestream commerce, omnichannel distribution and supply chain digitalisation. Recent developments include new mixed-nut and dried-fruit products, as well as industry recognition for selected nut lines. 12

1. Hangzhou HaoMuSi Food Co,Ltd.-Casual snacks
2. 百草味
3. Exclusive | Dialogue with PepsiCo’s Greater China CEO: the story behind the US $705 million acquisition of Be & Cheery! | 小食代
4. Why are consumers increasingly favoring healthy snacks? Is it possible to have both “delicious” and “healthy”?-Hangzhou HaoMuSi Food Co,Ltd.
5. 百草味Be&Cheery-妙百科-全球商业展示平台
6. 百草味Be&Cheery品牌介绍，百草味Be&Cheery品牌联系方式，百草味Be&Cheery是行业十大品牌-品牌网
7. Be & Cheery acquisition to heat up competition in snack market
8. PepsiCo Buys Chinese Snack Company Be & Cheery for $700 Million | The Motley Fool
9. PepsiCo enters deal to acquire online snacks company in China | 2020-02-24 | Baking Business
10. Pepsi Snaps Up Chinese Snack-Maker | CFO.com
11. PepsiCo : Targets Online Snacks Growth in China with Definitive Agreement to Acquire Be & Cheery | MarketScreener
12. 百草味Be&Cheery品牌坚果礼盒、草莓干怎么样-百草味Be&Cheery品牌介绍、联系方式-品牌网
13. Be&Cheery是什么牌子_百草味品牌是什么档次？-百强排行网
14. 公司介绍_百草味Be&Cheery – 杭州郝姆斯食品有限公司 – 一线品牌网
15. Be&Cheery 百草味的主页 | 广告门