‘Ice Cream Assassins’ Are Killing Summer Vibes, Consumers Say
When Jasmine Wang wanted to try a peach-flavored popsicle from one of the newer domestic brands, she wasn’t expecting to shell out 20 yuan ($3) for what usually would have cost around four times less had she stayed loyal to her trusted brand.
当王茉莉(Jasmine Wang)想尝试一个国内较新的品牌的桃子味冰棍时，她没想到会花20元(合3美元)，如果她继续买自己信任的品牌，价格通常会低四倍左右。
“I thought they had done the wrong math,” said the 31-year-old homemaker from Henan province, claiming herself as a victim of an “ice cream assassin.”
“我认为他们算错数了，”这位来自河南省的31岁的家庭主妇说，她自称是“冰淇淋杀手”的受害者。
The phrase has now become a new online buzzword for customers who have been caught off guard by expensive ice creams from obscure brands. Complaints over pricey ice creams from new domestic brands and the “sudden” disappearance of traditional popsicles in retail stores have taken over social media, with a related hashtag attracting over 600 million of views on microblogging site Weibo since Tuesday.
对于那些被不知名品牌的昂贵冰淇淋搞得措手不及的顾客来说，“冰淇淋杀手”这个短语现在已经成为一个新的网络流行语。对国产新品牌冰淇淋价格昂贵以及零售店传统冰棍“突然”消失的抱怨占据了社交媒体，自周二以来，相关标签在微博上吸引了超过6亿的浏览量。
China accounts for one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing ice cream markets with an estimated market size of more than 160 billion yuan in 2021, according to a May report by China Green Food Association. Domestic dairy enterprises, such as Yili and Mengniu, have long focused on the country’s low-end vertical, offering products priced between 2 yuan and 5 yuan for consumers, while international brands have dominated the premium category.
根据中国绿色食品协会5月份的一份报告，中国是世界上最大、增长最快的冰淇淋市场之一，预计2021年市场规模将超过1600亿元。伊利和蒙牛等国内乳制品企业长期以来一直专注于中国的低端垂直市场，为消费者提供价格在2元至5元之间的产品，而国际品牌一直主导着高端类别。
But new domestic players have gradually cracked the market since 2016 with marketing campaigns targeting young consumers willing to spend more. For example, one such brand, Zhongxuegao, introduced its first six ice cream products priced as much as 66 yuan in 2018 and went on to top the 2020 “Double 11” shopping festival sales in its respective category. The business success has attracted more newcomers from a wide range of food and beverage sectors.
但自2016年以来，新的国内参与者逐渐打开了市场，营销活动的目标是愿意花更多钱的年轻消费者。例如，一个这样的品牌，钟薛高，在2018年率先推出了六款售价高达66元的冰淇淋产品，并在2020年“双11”购物节的相应类别中销量名列前茅。钟薛高商业上的成功吸引了更多来自食品和饮料行业的新入行者。
However, the rising cost of raw materials, which has intensified amid the pandemic, has led to price hikes. The price of milk and cream has surged by 80% from 2008 to 2020, according to data from an online agriculture produce marketplace.
然而，原材料成本的上涨，尤其是在疫情期间的加剧上涨，导致了雪糕价格的提升。根据一个在线农产品市场的数据，从2008年到2020年，牛奶和奶油的价格上涨了80%。
Most customers accustomed to lower-priced ice creams say they’re not ready to pay premium prices for their beloved summer treat. A survey by market consultancy firm iMedia showed more than 80% of the surveyed consumers wouldn’t accept paying an ice cream priced at more than 10 yuan.
大多数习惯于低价冰淇淋的顾客表示，他们不准备为他们心爱的夏季美食支付高价。市场咨询公司iMedia的一项调查显示，超过80%的受访消费者不会接受价格超过10元的冰淇淋。
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beloved /bɪ'lʌvɪd/ 深爱的；钟爱的；A beloved person, thing, or place is one that you feel great affection for. 举个例子：He lost his beloved wife last year.他去年痛失爱妻。
Meanwhile, many ice cream lovers like Wang believe the new products were enticing, but they would instead stay loyal to the brands that have been around for a long time since they’re used to both the flavor and the price.
与此同时，许多冰淇淋爱好者，比如王力，可认为新产品很诱人，但他们会继续忠于已经存在很长时间的品牌，因为他们已经习惯了这些品牌的味道和价格。
“I would rather buy four 5 yuan ice cream bars with a chocolate shell for the same price,” she said.
“我宁愿以同样的价格买四个5元的带巧克力外壳的雪糕，”她说。
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