The 2025 Hurun China Brand List: Key Takeaways
Summary:
- Top Brand: Apple leads as the most valuable brand at 1.11 trillion yuan, followed by Kweichow Moutai and WeChat.
- Emerging Brands: Tesla makes its debut at fifth place while Bubble Mart sees exponential growth, claiming a spot in the top 50.
- Market Trends: The consumer electronics sector surpasses traditional industries like alcohol in brand value, with a notable increase in non-Chinese brands entering the market.
The Hurun Research Institute recently unveiled the 2025 Hurun China Brand List, marking its 20th consecutive release. This year’s list features an expanded criteria that now includes non-Chinese brands actively engaging with Chinese consumers.
Leading Brands
- Apple tops the chart with a staggering brand value of 1.11 trillion yuan. Its innovation and market presence have solidified its reputation among consumers, making it a dominant player in the global technology sector.
- Kweichow Moutai, known for its premium liquor, comes in second with a brand value of 795 billion yuan, reinforcing its status as the most valuable local Chinese brand.
- WeChat, the leading social media platform, showcases a remarkable growth of 90 billion yuan, bringing its total to 325 billion yuan. This elevated positioning allows WeChat to surpass Douyin as the highest-valued private brand in China.
Notable Changes in Rankings
- Douyin, despite its value rising by 14% to 280 billion yuan, has slipped two places to fourth.
- Tesla, the American electric vehicle manufacturer, enters the list at fifth place with a valuation of 270 billion yuan, indicating the increasing acceptance and demand for electric vehicles in China.
In a surprising growth story, Bubble Mart has emerged as the brand with the highest growth rate this year, soaring 288% to a value of 48.5 billion yuan, thus entering the top 50 rankings for the first time.
Market Insights
The 2025 list has been expanded from the top 300 to 500 brands, showcasing a diverse representation of industries. The Chinese market leads the list with a majority share of 386 brands, while the United States and France follow, contributing 46 and 19 brands respectively.
Key insights include:
- 317 brands have seen an increase in value compared to last year, alongside 212 new entrants to the list.
- Conversely, 153 brands experienced a decline in value, and 35 brands retained their status with unchanged values.
- The threshold for inclusion has risen to 2 billion RMB, reflecting a total brand value nearing 8.8 trillion RMB across the board.
Industry Developments
The consumer electronics industry, spearheaded by Apple, has surpassed the alcohol sector to become the most valuable industry on the list. Nonetheless, alcohol brands remain the highest valued local brands in China, indicating a strong consumer connection to traditional products.
This year, brands offering physical products dominate the list, constituting 69%, while those focused on software and services account for 31%. Notably, 76% of the brands originate from China, with 24% being non-Chinese brands.
Valuation Highlights
The cumulative value of the top ten brands reaches nearly 3.7 trillion yuan, which constitutes 42% of the entire brand value on the list, reflecting a 59% increase in value compared to the previous year. Among these ten brands, two are non-Chinese, emphasizing the increasing influence of global players in the Chinese market.
Conclusion
The 2025 Hurun China Brand List not only highlights the thriving landscape of brands in China but also provides valuable insights into consumer preferences and market trends. As international brands continue to penetrate the Chinese market and domestic brands innovate, the dynamics of brand valuation are set to evolve, making this an exciting period for both consumers and businesses alike.
In summary, this year’s list serves as a testament to the resilience and adaptability of brands amidst changing economic climates and consumer behaviors, setting the stage for future developments in the industry.
