Lao Wancheng Plum Juice

Lao Wancheng Plum Juice

　　Located at Liuduqiao in Wuhan’s commercial center, Lao Wancheng enjoys a long-standing reputation and is a household name. Especially among the elderly who have lived in Wuhan for years, it holds a special place in their hearts. Lao Wancheng Plum Juice is a cherished summer memory for many locals.

　　The “Lao Wancheng Hotel” was jointly founded by four shareholders

　　In 1910, the “Lao Wancheng Hotel” was established with an investment of over 900 silver dollars from four shareholders.

　　The name Lao Wancheng was chosen to signify profits multiplying like rolling somersaults, but after opening, the business did not meet the shareholders’ expectations. Especially in the summer, sales of tobacco and alcohol were very sluggish, causing great concern among the partners. It was then that one of the shareholders, Pei Guangfu, recalled having drunk plum juice in Beijing during the summer—it was delicious, cooling, and refreshing, yet no such drink was available in Wuhan. He proposed making and selling plum juice in the summer as a side business to supplement the main tobacco and alcohol trade.

　　To overcome the difficulties, the four shareholders decided to give it a try. They agreed that Pei Guangfu would lead the effort. After several experiments, they finally succeeded in creating a version of plum juice that suited the local palate. The juice was boiled overnight, then poured into large carved porcelain jars and chilled in ice buckets. To maintain the freezing effect, the buckets were wrapped in quilts. By the next morning when it was ready for sale, the plum juice remained ice-cold and delicious.

　　Because the Lao Wancheng storefront was located in the bustling Liuduqiao area of old Hankou—teeming with merchants and heavy foot traffic—and there were no other cooling drinks available at the time, and Wuhan locals had never tried plum juice before, it became an instant hit with the public. With the opening of the Minzhong Le Yuan (then called “New Market”) in 1919, even more people came to entertain and play nearby, and business for the Lao Wancheng Plum Juice right across the street grew increasingly prosperous, gaining widespread fame. Although plum juice was only sold in the summer, its reputation far surpassed that of the main tobacco and alcohol business. The juice brought substantial profits to the Lao Wancheng Hotel, delighting the shareholders. However, after Pei Guangfu returned to his hometown in Hebei, he lost all contact with Lao Wancheng.

　　Why Is Lao Wancheng Plum Juice So Popular?

　　From the public-private partnership in 1956 until 1970, Lao Wancheng Plum Juice monthly sales reached 50,000–100,000 yuan, peaking in 1980. At three jiao per cup, Lao Wancheng was selling 200,000–500,000 yuan worth of plum juice every month. By then, the business had been renamed Jianxin Tobacco, Alcohol, and Grocery Store, offering round-the-clock convenience services. The Jianxin Grocery Store, along with Lao Wancheng Plum Juice, became a household name in the business world. Its business model was widely promoted, leveraging its prime location to thrive across Wuhan’s three towns and gain fame throughout Hubei Province and beyond.

　　Why does Lao Wancheng Plum Juice sell so well and enjoy such fame? We interviewed the current head of Lao Wancheng—also regarded as the third-generation inheritor of Lao Wancheng Plum Juice and General Manager of Wuhan Lao Wancheng Trading Co., Ltd.—Liu Hanhua. He said: “We still use the traditional manual method to make our plum juice. Mass-production factories can’t use manual processes—they rely on machinery, which changes the taste.” Liu added that although the production process isn’t complicated, it’s essential to master ingredient selection and cooking timing. The hawthorn must come from Shandong or Shanxi—its fruit offers the perfect balance of sweet and sour with an excellent mouthfeel. The dark plums should be from Guangdong, where the fruit has small pits, thick flesh, and is especially thirst-quenching. Uniquely, Lao Wancheng’s plum juice contains no artificial food coloring, using only high-quality white crystal sugar for boiling. During the process, the dark plums are boiled first, and only after they start rolling in the water are the hawthorns added—this prevents the tender hawthorn from overcooking. Once a rich, authentic aroma emerges, the plums and hawthorns are filtered out, and the extracted liquid is simmered with white sugar. Only after more than half the water has evaporated is the mixture ready to be taken off the heat. Throughout this process, constant stirring is required—if one relaxes even slightly, either the plums and hawthorns will burn, or the sugar will scorch, significantly affecting the flavor. Therefore, mastering the timing is crucial. Although the basic technique can be learned in ten days, achieving true mastery over the heat takes at least ten years.

　　Lao Wancheng Trademark Registration Faces Challenges

　　Nowadays, many supermarkets sell “Hankou Lao Wancheng” plum juice paste, or market products labeled as Lao Wancheng plum juice, but these are not the authentic “Lao Wancheng” products. The reason is the company’s weak brand awareness, leading to its trademark being registered by others—a major headache for Liu Hanhua. Due to Lao Wancheng’s fame and strong sales, the business had long neglected trademark protection. It wasn’t until 1998, when the company launched bottled “Concentrated Plum Juice” and applied to the National Trademark Office to register the “Lao Wancheng” trademark, that they were informed the name had already been registered by a beverage company in Zhejiang. In 2003, another attempt to register the “Jianxin Lao Wancheng” trademark failed as that name had also recently been registered by someone else. In the end, Lao Wancheng Plum Juice could only be registered under the trademark name “Ehan Lao Wancheng.”

　　What Lies Ahead?

　　Every summer, plum juice and paste sell well in the market, and the authentic Lao Wancheng Plum Juice is even more sought after. Long queues form outside the “Century-old Shop” Jianxin store at the intersection of Zhongshan Avenue and Qianjin Second Road, creating a beautiful scene. Some have even written to the media and relevant departments, hoping for easier access to the genuine Lao Wancheng Plum Juice—a reflection of the public's voice and aspirations. Many insightful individuals believe that Lao Wancheng Plum Juice should adhere to scientific development principles, seize the opportunity to expand production and increase sales channels. Beyond in-store sales, it should also enter malls and supermarkets to boost market share and influence.

　　Jing Taijie, a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology’s School of Management, cited “Wanglaoji” as an example to illustrate the development path of traditional products. He said: “Wanglaoji was originally just a heat-clearing drink sold on the streets of Guangdong and other areas. Later, through marketing strategies and industrialized production, it has become a nationally renowned beverage, as famous as cola.” Jing believes: “Lao Wancheng Plum Juice could also hire experts for planning, transforming traditional handicraft processing into industrialized operations. As for the traditional recipe, it can still be adapted for modern production.”

　　However, Wuhan Lao Wancheng Trading Co., Ltd., due to historical reasons and its own limitations—including insufficient capital and constrained production space—faces significant challenges. Despite multiple rounds of negotiations with relevant parties, no agreements have been reached, and the company’s good intentions remain unfulfilled.

　　With Wuhan’s time-honored brands such as Wufangzhai Tangyuan, Dehuayear Cake, and Cailinji Instant Noodles successively entering supermarkets, these developments have inspired Wuhan Lao Wancheng Trading Co., Ltd. Now, the Wuhan Municipal People’s Government and the Commerce Bureau have introduced a series of policies to support the revival and development of time-honored brands. Leveraging these preferential policies, Wuhan Lao Wancheng Trading Co., Ltd. is striving to secure expanded space and financial aid, preparing to enter the manufacturing sector. By producing plum juice products industrially, the company aims to grow stronger and bigger, allowing all citizens to enjoy the sweet-and-sour taste of plum juice.