Ten Keywords for China’s 2024 Wine Market

New Supermarket Channels

Recently, Sam’s Club not only became the top brand in China’s supermarket industry but also emerged as the leading wine seller. Walmart (China) Investment Co., Ltd. ranked sixth in Asia’s Top 10 Wine Importers by Revenue, making it the highest-ranking Chinese company. Wine sales at its Sam’s Club stores exceeded RMB 800 million (US$109.85 million) in 2023, with a total sales volume of approximately 5 million bottles, highlighting the dominant role of supermarkets in China’s offline wine sales channels.

Unlike the traditional supermarket format seen a decade ago in China, exemplified by Carrefour and Auchan, which cooperated with importers and charged entrance fees, Sam’s Club offers directly sourced wines and sells its self-operated wines. With strong wine selection capabilities and competitive prices, wines from Sam’s Club were popular among general consumers.

Encouraged by the success of Sam’s Club, more supermarket giants launched their self-operated wine businesses in China in 2024. ALDI, the German supermarket chain, offered wines under its brand priced at CNY 99 (US$13.90) per case of six bottles, featuring wine from the Chilean Central Valley, bottled in Yantai, Shandong province. China’s Yonghui Superstores partnered with Great Wall Wine under COFCO Group to introduce its own self-operated wine brand, while Freshippo launched Freshippo Mingpin, with several products experiencing double sales growth within a month after debut.