Taiwan’s ‘Godfather of Imported Spirits’ Dies at 80

Chen Chun-an, founder and chairman of Drinks, one of Taiwan’s most prominent wine and spirits distributors, died peacefully in the early hours of Feb. 17 at the age of 80.

Within Taiwan’s drinks industry, Chen was regarded as a pioneering figure. Born in 1948, he studied chemical engineering but chose not to pursue a technical career after graduation. Instead, he entered the world of sales and trade, working first as a dye company salesman and later in pharmaceutical import businesses. Those early experiences in importing and distribution laid the foundation for his eventual move into the wine and spirits sector.

When Taiwan began liberalising whisky imports in 1991, Chen saw an opportunity. In 1993, he founded Drinks and went on to transform it into one of the island’s most recognisable retail chains for imported wines and spirits. Today, it remains Taiwan’s largest liquor retail chain.

Drinks was among the first to modernise Taiwan’s traditional neighbourhood liquor shops, introducing a professionalised chain-store model. Its established brand identity and emphasis on expertise gradually won consumer trust, making it a preferred purchasing channel for many Taiwanese buyers.

At its peak, the company operated more than 50 stores nationwide; it currently maintains around 33 outlets. The company once recorded a single-day turnover of NT$5 million (US$159,800) at one store, with annual revenue reaching NT$2 billion (US$63.9 million) at its height. It was widely regarded as the leading liquor retail chain in Taiwan and played a significant role in shaping the island’s alcohol retail structure.

Chen placed strong emphasis on consumer education in wine and spirits. In addition to publishing a membership magazine, Liquor Party Magazine, with a monthly circulation of up to 500,000 copies, he promoted direct engagement through tasting events and structured education programmes. Beginning in 2014,Drinks established tasting classrooms in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, systematically offering courses that integrated education, experience and retail — an early and innovative approach in Taiwan’s spirits market.

He also invited prominent figures from the wine and spirits world to teach in-store classes and introduced a mechanism allowing course fees to be deducted from wine purchases. Chen once observed that industry personalities brought with them loyal followings, and that educational programmes could naturally convert participants into long-term customers.

During an era when blended whisky dominated consumption, the company was among the first retailers in Taiwan to actively promote single malt whisky. In the wine category, Chen was equally forward-looking. When brandy remained the mainstream choice for many consumers, he created dedicated wine displays at its stores, encouraging customers to move from curiosity to experimentation. The concept was widely emulated by other retailers and indirectly helped fuel Taiwan’s wine boom. The company was also one of the earliest distributors in Taiwan to promote Beaujolais Nouveau.

According to the company’s website, Drinks offers more than 250 wine labels sourced from 12 countries, including France, Australia, Italy, Chile, the United States and Spain. The company has also been recognised by Vino Joy News as one of Asia’s Top 50 Wine Importers.

Industry observers say Chen’s business model helped shift the perception of alcohol from a product primarily associated with banquets and gift-giving to one connected with lifestyle, taste and cultural experience. In doing so, he not only reshaped Taiwan’s retail landscape but also influenced the evolution of its broader drinking culture.

For his long-standing contributions and deep impact on the industry, Chen earned the title “Godfather of Imported Spirits.”

Despite his advanced age, he remained physically active and was known for his love of golf. His family has not disclosed the cause of death. Since news of his passing, industry figures and longtime associates have paid tribute to a market pioneer whose influence spanned more than three decades.