German supplement brand Doppelherz keeping pace with consumer demand
Doppelherz, a leading supplement brand from Germany, has made remarkable progress in China over the past decade and is committed to benefiting more Chinese consumers in the years ahead, according to a senior executive of Henghui Brand Management, its general agent in China.
Doppelherz entered the Chinese market in 2014 and the following year launched its flagship store on Tmall Global, the cross-border e-commerce arm of Alibaba Group. A decade later, the brand is firmly entrenched in several major e-commerce platforms, including Douyin and JD, reaching sales of nearly 700 million yuan ($96.83 million) in 2023, according to Henghui CEO Kong Lingpeng.
“The sustained growth is underpinned by the healthy interactions between the brand and consumers,” Kong said, adding that Henghui serves as a bridge by constantly adjusting marketing strategies and product portfolio based on consumer feedback.
A prime example is Doppelherz chewable lutein tablets for children. The product was initially created in response to the demands of Chinese consumers, prompting Queisser Pharma, parent company of Doppelherz, to release it to overseas markets, where it has gained wide recognition from consumers in Russia and Middle Eastern countries.
“We are discussing with Queisser ways to further adopt this model, developing more products in China first and then promoting them globally,” Kong said.
In addition to lutein supplements, Doppelherz offers a variety of some 70 products in the Chinese market, including liquid collagen, coenzyme Q10, leber plus, and fish oil.
“For more than a century, Doppelherz has been committed to high-quality products for the health and wellbeing of the whole family,” Kong said. “Most of its product formulations consist of multiple ingredients, rather than just one, making it favored by healthcare-savvy customers.”
Kong also shared his observations about how the attitude of Chinese consumers of wellness products has evolved over the past decade, noting: “Today they are more conscious of their health and actively seek ways to improve their wellness, leading to a rise in their demand for healthcare supplements.”
Meanwhile, driven in part by social media and e-commerce platforms, consumers, especially young people, have gained more healthcare knowledge, and are more adept at selecting supplements that match their requirements, Kong said.
According to a survey jointly commissioned by the National Bureau of Statistics, China Post Group, and China Media Group, in 2023 healthcare products were the third most popular consumer category among Chinese in the 18-35 age bracket, behind only tourism services and tech gadgetry. Furthermore, a study conducted by the Guangdong-headquartered consultancy iiMedia Research predicts the market will maintain its growth momentum over the next few years, reaching a projected size of around 423.7 billion yuan by 2027.
Faced with an evolving market with huge potential, Henghui plans to help Doppelherz expand its presence in smaller cities and inland cities.
“Formerly, most of our customers came from first-tier cities and coastal cities, but nowadays we have a growing customer base in inland cities such as Wuhan in Hubei province, and I believe this trend will continue,” Kong said.
“We will also bring more products into the Chinese market this year, such as those under the organic product line Pure to cater to consumers with different needs,” he said.