Customers come to the newly opened Zhong Yao Tang ice cream shop on Xiangyang South Road in Xuhui district, Shanghai, to taste its new products with Chinese herbs on July 29. [Photo by WANG GANG/FOR CHINA DAILY]

Regimen-related items

Tong Ren Tang, a time-honored TCM brand, introduced brand Zhima Health in 2019 based on the concept of "medicine and food sharing the same source".

Zhima Health has put forward various types of regimen-related products, including herbal coffee, herbal tea, bird's nest and lily rice cakes, to "integrate natural herbs with healthy ingredients, aiming to promote health and enhance quality of life", according to a written interview with China Daily.

Its eight red jars with extracts from herbs such as raspberry, hawthorn and sesame can be eaten directly or diluted with warm water to spread on bread or toast. The jars are one of the bestsellers among tired office workers. Each costs about 200 yuan.

The products break traditional perceptions of food with innovative recipes, tapping into young consumers' pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, it said.

"Our main customers can be categorized into three groups: fashionable individuals who pursue quality food and prioritize health; white-collar office workers in a suboptimal state of health who urgently need to address unhealthy lifestyles and dietary habits while adjusting their mental state; and urban consumers with health-conscious habits who pursue comprehensive health management and have specific requirements for daily food ingredients, preparation and taste. They aim to enhance personal health through continuous and effective wellness practices," the company said.

Besides food, Zhima Health offers offline health consultation services.