Nescafe names Olympic champ Fan Zhendong as brand ambassador

Nescafe, a brand synonymous with instant coffee, on Friday announced Chinese Olympic table tennis champion Fan Zhendong as its new brand ambassador as the coffee brand updates its formula to attract health-conscious consumers in China.

A profound value shift is underway among China's young consumers. They are redefining "better" to pursuing more personal, attainable self-growth. Increasingly, small and intentional changes — learning a new skill, going to bed earlier, or simply savoring a good cup of coffee — are valued among young consumers, sparking a positive cycle of progress.

This emerging "micro-improvement" mindset is a smarter path forward: focusing on what can be controlled, refining the details, and steadily advancing toward "better", according to Nestle.

This is part of the brand's recent campaign "Every Cup, for Better", directly addressing young consumers' growing desire for meaningful changes in their daily lives. For more than three decades, this product has been part of life for generations of Chinese consumers, with a strong market presence, selling over 2 billion cups each year in China.

Nescafe 1+2 has undergone a formula upgrade. As health awareness continues to rise, today's consumers want more than just great taste — they are increasingly focused on the health benefits of what they drink. Nescafe1+2 has been refreshed with a healthier recipe: 0 trans fats and 0 hydrogenated vegetable oils, using 100 percent imported coffee beans, while still maintaining the original aromatic taste, according to Nestle.

This year, the company launched the Nescafe mobile café tour, encouraging participants to savor the details of its product upgrade, offering emotional touchpoints such as the red cup fortune draw and city-exclusive tasting experiences.

The coffee sector has been a pillar in Nestle's business in China, as the food and drink company vowed to adjust their business model to focus on driving consumer demand in the Chinese market.