NONGFU SPRING (Chinese: 农夫山泉; pinyin: Nóngfū Shānquán) is a prominent Chinese beverage corporation primarily recognized for its bottled drinking water. Established in 1996 and headquartered in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the entity has evolved from a specialized water bottler into a diversified beverage group. Its portfolio encompasses packaged water, ready-to-drink tea, functional beverages, fruit juice, coffee, plant-protein drinks, and agricultural products.1

The corporate legal name is NONGFU SPRING Co., Ltd. (农夫山泉股份有限公司). Since September 2020, its shares have been listed on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 9633.2 According to its 2025 annual report, NONGFU SPRING describes itself as a leader in China’s packaged drinking-water and beverage industry, utilizing a nationwide sales network and a multi-brand strategy.2

Basic Information

Foundation (1996)

NONGFU SPRING was established in 1996. The company’s growth was closely tied to entrepreneur Zhong Shanshan, who built the business around the rising demand for packaged drinking water in China. From its inception, the product was positioned not merely as a commodity but as one associated with natural sources, health, and quality. This strategic positioning laid the groundwork for the brand’s subsequent identity.1

Water-Source Strategy

A critical component of NONGFU SPRING’s business model is its emphasis on sourcing water from natural origins rather than relying on municipal tap water. The company invested in production facilities located near selected natural sources, including mountain springs, lakes/reservoirs, and natural artesian aquifers. As of its 2025 annual report, the company stated it had established 16 major water sources nationwide.2

Sources listed on the official website include:

• Qiandao Lake, Zhejiang
• Danjiangkou, Hubei
• Changbai Mountain, Jilin
• Tianshan, Xinjiang
• Emei Mountain, Sichuan
• Taibai Mountain, Shaanxi
• Wuyi Mountain, Fujian
• Wuling Mountain, Guizhou

Historically, the company emphasized that its packaged drinking water does not use municipal tap water and that minerals are not artificially added.1

Corporate Restructuring (2001)

In June 2001, NONGFU SPRING transitioned from a limited-liability company to a joint-stock company. This restructuring created the corporate framework necessary for its later expansion.2

Expansion Beyond Water

While water remains its most recognizable product line, NONGFU SPRING gradually diversified into other beverage categories. The portfolio expanded to include:

• Ready-to-drink tea
• Fruit beverages
• Functional/sports drinks
• Coffee
• Plant-protein beverages
• Agricultural products

This shift transformed NONGFU SPRING from a bottled-water specialist into a multi-category beverage group.3

Hong Kong IPO (2020)

NONGFU SPRING was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in September 2020 under stock code 9633. This listing marked a significant milestone, providing international investors access to one of China’s largest beverage companies.2

International Expansion (2025–2026)

The company has increasingly looked beyond mainland China. According to the 2025 annual report, three core products—NONGFU SPRING natural drinking water, East Leaf tea, and Tea π—entered the Hong Kong market in June 2025 and the Singapore market in November 2025. The company expressed intentions to continue exploring overseas markets.2

A key competitive advantage for NONGFU SPRING is its strong association with “natural and healthy” products. The brand philosophy rests on several pillars:

Natural Water Sources

The company places significant emphasis on the origin of its water. Factories are strategically located close to water sources, allowing NONGFU SPRING to control the process from source extraction to bottling.2

Health

NONGFU SPRING has historically marketed its beverages based on natural ingredients, hydration, and healthier consumption habits. Recent data reflects changing consumer preferences; according to the 2025 sustainability report, products classified as sugar-free/low-sugar, sodium-free/low-sodium, or fat-free/low-fat accounted for more than 85% of sales by weight during the reporting period.

Chinese Cultural Identity

The brand identity is deeply rooted in Chinese culture and aesthetics, particularly visible in its tea brands, packaging, and advertising. Rather than adopting a Western-style multinational image, NONGFU SPRING frequently utilizes Chinese landscapes, traditional culture, tea heritage, and contemporary Chinese lifestyles in its branding efforts.

NONGFU SPRING operates across several distinct categories:

1. Packaged Drinking Water

This remains the flagship business. The water portfolio includes various types such as:

• Natural drinking water
• Purified drinking water
• Natural mineral water
• Changbai Mountain natural mineral water
• Natural artesian/spring water
• Specialized consumer-use waters
• Premium glass-bottle products

The company has developed premium and specialty water lines rather than competing exclusively in the mass-market segment.3 Water remains the category most strongly linked to the NONGFU SPRING name.

2. East Leaf (东方树叶)

East Leaf is a prominent tea brand focusing heavily on unsweetened or sugar-free ready-to-drink tea, differentiating itself from traditional bottled teas with high sugar content. It utilizes traditional Chinese tea varieties and emphasizes tea culture. In 2025, the brand introduced Chenpi White Tea and Chrysanthemum Pu-erh, alongside seasonal offerings like Longjing tea and Osmanthus Oolong.2 East Leaf connects modern packaged beverages with China’s long-established tea traditions.

3. Tea π (茶π)

Tea π offers a different positioning compared to East Leaf, combining tea extracts with fruit flavors. The concept is described as original tea extraction combined with natural fruit juice.2 Its packaging and marketing are more colorful and youth-oriented. The brand has engaged younger consumers through music and art events.2

4. Functional Beverages

NONGFU SPRING participates in the sports and functional drink market with brands such as Scream (尖叫) and Victory Vitamin Water (力量帝维他命水). In 2025, functional beverage products generated approximately RMB 5.762 billion in revenue, representing a 16.8% year-on-year increase and roughly 11% of total revenue.2

5. Fruit Juice

The company develops juice products using fruit sourced from agricultural regions in China. Operations include relationships with orchards and growers producing apples, carrots, navel oranges, and other ingredients.3 A notable product line is 17.5°, associated with premium fruit and juice products.

6. Coffee

NONGFU SPRING has entered the ready-to-drink coffee market, leveraging its existing manufacturing, distribution, and retail infrastructure to expand beyond traditional water and tea categories.3

7. Plant-Protein and Agricultural Products

The company has moved upstream into agriculture and raw-material production. Activities include cooperation with farmers and orchard owners, with bases in regions such as Xinjiang and Jiangxi. These initiatives aim to combine agricultural modernization, quality control, and technological innovation with the beverage business.3

NONGFU SPRING’s business model can be characterized by the integration of source control, manufacturing, branding, and distribution.

Raw Material Control

For water, the company invests directly in sources and factories. For tea, fruit, and other products, it works upstream with agricultural producers and suppliers.

Manufacturing

The company operates modern beverage-production facilities with high-speed filling systems. Some aseptic filling equipment meets the Log6 sterility standard.3

Multi-Brand Strategy

Rather than consolidating all products under one brand, NONGFU SPRING uses a multi-brand approach to target different demographics:

• NONGFU SPRING: Water
• East Leaf: Unsweetened tea
• Tea π: Fruit-flavored tea
• Scream: Functional/sports beverages
• 17.5°: Fruit products

Distribution

Distribution is a major competitive strength. The company reports a nationwide network covering provinces, municipalities, and county-level areas in China. Internationally, it works with more than 4,000 distributors and employs over 10,000 frontline sales and management personnel.3

NONGFU SPRING has grown into a large consumer-goods entity. For 2025, the company reported:

• Revenue: RMB 52.553 billion
• Year-on-year revenue growth: 22.5%
• Functional beverage revenue: ~RMB 5.762 billion (+16.8% YoY)
• Employees: 28,444 at year-end2

These figures highlight the company’s evolution beyond its original bottled-water focus.

Zhong Shanshan is the founder and chairman, playing a central role in the company’s development. His strategy emphasizes:

• Long-term control of natural resources
• Strong consumer brands
• Vertical integration
• Distribution capabilities
• Product diversification
• Investment in agriculture and raw materials

His leadership has helped establish NONGFU SPRING as one of China’s most prominent privately controlled consumer-goods companies.

NONGFU SPRING is well-known in China for its brand marketing. Historically, it used simple, memorable campaigns to differentiate its water from competitors. Instead of focusing solely on technical specifications, advertisements associate the product with:

• Nature
• Mountains and lakes
• Purity
• Chinese landscapes
• Family
• Health
• Everyday life

This approach helped transform bottled water from a generic commodity into a product with emotional and cultural resonance. The company’s corporate history notes that its slogans are closely connected to consumer insights and Chinese culture.1

The brand identity can be summarized as:

Nature + health + Chinese culture + modern manufacturing

NONGFU SPRING combines a natural image with highly industrialized production and distribution. This creates a contrast where the brand communicates ideals of mountain springs and forests, while the actual business relies on sophisticated factories, logistics, quality control, and nationwide networks.

NONGFU SPRING publishes sustainability/ESG reports covering environmental management, product safety, employee welfare, community engagement, and agricultural development. The company has participated in disaster-relief initiatives, citing support following the 1998 Yangtze River floods, 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, and 2010 Yunnan drought.3

Programs such as the Sunshine Project aim to improve sports facilities in schools in less-developed areas. Other initiatives support communities around water-source regions.3 Reporting covers:

• Product safety
• Natural-resource management
• Environmental protection
• Employee development
• Community engagement
• Agricultural development
• Corporate governance

Historically focused on the Chinese market, NONGFU SPRING has recently begun developing an international strategy. In 2025, it launched core products in Hong Kong and entered Singapore with NONGFU SPRING water, East Leaf, and Tea π. The company views internationalization as a longer-term growth opportunity.2

This expansion presents both opportunities and challenges, as the brand’s identity is originally rooted in Chinese consumer culture. Success depends on determining which elements of this identity translate effectively to other markets.

NONGFU SPRING operates in highly competitive markets. Its main advantages include:

1. Strong Brand Recognition: The name is synonymous with bottled water in China.
2. Natural-Source Infrastructure: Long-term investment in sources and factories creates barriers to entry.2
3. Nationwide Distribution: Extensive networks provide access to urban and rural consumers.3
4. Multi-Brand Portfolio: Separate brands target different demographics and occasions.
5. Marketing Capability: A long history of building distinctive consumer brands.
6. Manufacturing and Supply Chain: Large-scale manufacturing combined with quality control and sophisticated supply-chain management.1

As of 2026, NONGFU SPRING is best understood as a large, vertically integrated Chinese beverage group built around water and expanded through tea, functional drinks, juice, coffee, and agricultural businesses.

Current strategic pillars include:

• Protecting and expanding the bottled-water business
• Growing ready-to-drink tea
• Developing healthier, lower-sugar beverages
• Strengthening agricultural and raw-material supply chains
• Building differentiated consumer brands
• Expanding outside mainland China
• Investing in water sources and manufacturing infrastructure

The 2025 annual report explicitly cites packaged drinking water and beverages as the two major growth engines, supported by nationwide sales networks and a multi-brand strategy.2

1. Corporate Information-Nongfu Spring
2. Nongfu Spring Co., Ltd. – Annual Report 2025
3. Nongfu Spring,nongfuspring,nongfushanquan