China’s thirst for imported spirits has experienced a significant surge during the first half of this year, doubling the size of the country’s imported wine market, presenting a stark contrast to the diminishing trend in wine imports.
According to data released by the General Administration of Customs, between January and June 2023, China imported around 58.68 million liters of spirits, marking an impressive year-on-year growth rate of 10.5%. This uptick in demand translated into a substantial surge in the total import value, reaching approximately US$1.15 billion, signifying an outstanding 34% rise compared to the same period last year.
In contrast, wine imports witnessed a decline in the same period, as we have reported. Contracting by 18.41% to US$558 million, the country’s wine imports this year would most likely be the worst performing year in a decade since anti-corruption clamdown, if the slide continues.
Brandy, in particular, emerged as the strongest performer. The data shows imports of approximately 17.75 million liters of brandy during H1 2023, marking a year-on-year increase of 15.6%. The total import value of cognac also saw a significant spike, reaching around US$650 million, a substantial 31.3% jump compared to the previous year.
The spirit alone account for 54% of the country’s total import value. Following brandy, whisky also grew by 18.15% to US$275.7 million.
The reasons behind the contrasting trends warrant further investigation, but it is evident that the surge in imported spirits demand in China is reshaping the country’s alcoholic beverage market and opening new opportunities for international distilleries.
