Asia’s Top 10 Wine Importers by Revenue Ranked

No. 6. Walmart (China) Investment Co Ltd

Revenue: US$ 110.4 million

Country: China

Walmart (China) Investment Co., Ltd. is the parent company and importer of Walmart and Sam’s Club in China. As of December 2023, Sam’s Club operates 49 stores across 25 cities, serving over 5 million members, mainly middle-class consumers in first and second-tier cities. 

In 2022, Sam’s Club reported sales of RMB 66 billion (US$9.1 billion), with revenue increasing to approximately RMB 80 billion (US$11.04 billion) in 2023. Sam’s Club is one of the few large retail outlets in China to experience significant growth recently. 

Most boutique wines, the main focus of Sam’s Club’s wine section, are directly sourced by Walmart, allowing for lower prices without intermediary markups. For example, a bottle of Napa Valley dry red wine costs RMB 178 (US$24.5), while Amarone and Champagne are priced at RMB 228 (US$31.5).

This pricing strategy has helped Sam’s Club gain market share from traditional liquor stores. While specific wine sales figures aren’t publicly available, insiders indicate that Sam’s Club saw double-digit growth in wine sales during the pandemic, exceeding RMB 800 million (US$110.4 million) in 2023, with total sales of around 5 million bottles.

Looking ahead, at least 20 new Sam’s Club stores are set to open across China between 2024 and 2027, including locations in major cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.