Abstract
In Chinese, the word ' wine' is used for a broad range of alcoholic beverages,
not just grape wine, as in the Western context. Rice-based alcohol is
colloquially referred to as ' wine' , so are various fruit alcohol concoctions
and even local distilled spirits.
This report covers the market for alcoholic wine in the People' s Republic of
China, giving the facts and figures on the size, shape and growth of the wine
market in China, including company profiles and forecasts up to 2011. The
report covers the red, white and blended grape and sparkling wines sectors.
There is also some coverage of fruit wines (normally referred to as ' berry
wines' in China) in the report. This report does not include yellow rice wine,
or Shaoxing wine, which are covered in Access Asia' s ' Spirits in China' report.
KEY REPORT FEATURES
This newly updated and enlarged Access Asia report covers:
- An overview of China' s total food & beverage market, with value of food
expenditure up to 2006;
- Volume & value consumer market by retail and HoReCa for wine in China,
including regional and sector breakdown, up to 2006;
- Statistical data on wine market shares by revenue, profit and sales in
China up to 2006;
- Retail pricing trends of wine in China, including by sector, province and
selected wines, up to 2006;
- Volume & value forecast retail market and sales of wine, including by
sector, up to 2011;
- Marketing and distribution analysis;
- Statistical analysis of wine industry by sector, including major
manufacturers in each sector, in China;
- Profiles of leading companies in China' s wine sector;
- Key contacts & trade events;
- Overview of China' s demographics and macroeconomics.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
China claims over 160,000 acres of vines nationwide, but much is in remote
areas, such as those in Tibet near Kazakhstan, where Silk Road traders brought
seeds centuries ago. There is also a small native grape (Vitus thunbergii)
that grows wild north of Shanghai. And Russian visitors brought plantings of
Muscat and Ratsiteli to China in the early twentieth century.
Although having been started at the beginning of the 20th century, the wine
industry in China has only recently begun to develop into a significant
market. Chinese consumers have tended to stick to what they know, being beer
and grain spirits - drinks that offer a higher alcohol level per unit than
wine.
- However, wines have attained consumer acceptance, not least due to Chinese
politburo member Li Peng, who decreed that state banquets should be lubricated
with wine instead of spirits in 1996. The influence of western eating and
drinking habits have been key in this, as have rising average incomes in
China. Indeed, wine is now becoming the fashionable drink for the wealthy
younger generations in China' s cities, and the "badge" drink of China' s
wealthiest élite.
- The value of the market has more than doubled over the last five years,
and has become much more sophisticated. Not only are there more foreign wine
imports available in restaurants and in the shops, but the number, variety and
quality of domestic wines has also increased. This has served the market by
providing local consumers with a greater array of cheaper products to try.
- However, the domestic market has moved on, and domestic wines are now
reaching a level of quality that they can compete on price with imported
wines, and even look to developing an export market. However, the domestic
market is where most Chinese wineries are looking to develop their sales. With
about 600 million young Chinese, all exploring new types of alcoholic drinks,
the potential market for sales of wine in the future is great.
- So much for the future - at present wine consumption in China is still in
its preliminary stages as is international cooperation in the industry.
This report also contains some information on fruit, or berry, wine that at
present constitutes approximately 1.1% of the total sales of the whole wine
industry.
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