Summary of Key Points
When the performance of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies declines, they often blame it on the “change in the younger generation”—claiming that consumers prefer less sweetness, avoid spicy snacks, and only seek healthy, sugar-free options. However, this isn’t really the case. Young people enjoy both the “double happiness” of large-packaged iced black tea and the nostalgic large bottles of Wahaha AD calcium milk; they also appreciate the “real and delicious” taste of Qihuang instant noodles. The real reasons for the companies’ decline lie in internal issues such as products losing their “tasty and genuine” essence, chaotic channel management, and bosses who are power-hungry and stingy. Blaming the youth is merely an excuse to avoid self-reflection.
1. Stop blaming the youth! They don’t just prefer sugar-free options; they seek “real happiness”
Companies often say that young people dislike sweetness, but Kangshifu’s tea drinks saw a 9% increase in the first half of 2026, thanks to the 1L package of iced black tea (which costs an extra yuan but offers double the volume), which is regarded by college students as a premium product. When Wahaha AD calcium milk was on the verge of being discontinued, changing the packaging to a larger size turned it into a blockbuster product worth nearly 20 billion yuan. Nutritional Fast Line’s colorful packaging, which was trying to be trendy, didn’t sell well; only by reverting to the old packaging did sales improve. These examples show that young people are not rejecting sweetness or tradition, but rather products that are “inexpensive and genuine.” Companies use “healthy, sugar-free” as a shield to avoid addressing the real issues—for instance, Wangwang’s declining performance may not be due to a lack of sugar-free products, but rather a failure to adapt to consumer preferences (no innovation in 30 years).
2. Whether a product succeeds or not depends on whether it’s “tasty and genuine,” not on “youngness”
Companies like Lamiang claim to focus on “young, healthy, non-fried” options, but such products have largely disappeared. Yang Zhangjiai’s Fenmian Caidan became a billion-dollar seller because of its simple combination of ingredients and substantial content. UniQihuang’s instant noodles, with their traditional tomato flavor, broke sales records in the second year after launch. This contrast highlights that no matter how fancy the concepts (like health or youthfulness), what really matters is taste and quality. Qihuang’s success comes from its simple, traditional ingredients and effective channel distribution; Lamiang, on the other hand, failed because it only focused on concepts without focusing on taste.
3. If channels and teams are failing, how can products sell?
Companies often say their products are outdated, but the real problems lie with the channels and teams:
- Frontline salespeople used to earn 5,000 yuan 20 years ago; now they earn 3,000 yuan, with no hope for promotion or raises, and face increasingly strict evaluations. Their work is merely to meet performance targets, like puppets controlled by strings.
- Distributors are exploited by companies—unregulated pricing, unsolved inventory issues, and forced to purchase excess products, leading to thousands of distributors disappearing each year. Channels are the “veins” that deliver products to consumers, and teams are the “blood” that keeps the business running. If these aspects are damaged, no product will sell. The failure to sell products is not due to young people’s preferences but rather the companies’ own mistakes.
4. Can companies improve if bosses are power-hungry and stingy?
Old bosses in FMCG companies tend to cling to power. They should delegate authority to successors but instead use it as a tool to control employees, checking their loyalty and suppressing any dissent. They are also very stingy with both employees and distributors, preventing them from making profits. This paranoid and miserly management stems from their fear of losing their power and social status. As a result, decisions are made out of isolation from the market, teams lose motivation, and distributors become disengaged. The root of the company’s problems lies with the bosses, yet they blame the products and teams for their failures.
In conclusion
FMCG companies should stop using the youth as a scapegoat. Instead, they need to assess whether their products are truly tasty, whether their channels are effective, whether their teams are energetic, and whether their bosses are willing to share profits. Young people are not the exception; they just want “real happiness.” What companies need to do is return to the basics of business and stop using excuses to avoid responsibility.