New Trends from China’s Biggest Food And Drinks Fair

At China’s largest drinks fair, the signals this year were hard to ignore: fewer crowds, more purposeful buyers and a clear shift in what the market is looking for.

The 114th China Food & Drinks Fair, held recently in Chengdu, brought together 6,615 companies from more than 40 countries and regions, drawing over 410,000 professional visitors across its three-day main exhibition. Alongside it, a sprawling network of hotel-based shows unfolded across the city in the days leading up to the event, further expanding its reach.

Long seen as a barometer for the industry, the spring edition of the fair offers a snapshot of where the market is heading not just in scale, but in what buyers are seeking and how they are behaving.

Based on several days of on-the-ground reporting and conversations with exhibitors and visitors, Vino Joy News has identified a set of shifts that point to a market becoming more cautious, more selective and quietly evolving.

Contraction continues

Signs of contraction, first visible last year, have deepened.

Some major wine players that previously invested heavily in the fair did not exhibit this year. Australia’s leading brand Penfolds, which had a prominent presence last year, was absent, as was Chile’s Viña Concha y Toro group. Several regional pavilions opted to participate only in hotel exhibitions rather than the main venue.

Meanwhile, some importers scaled back their presence. Fond Wine and Bel Eden both reduced their booths to standard sizes, while Merveille Business exhibited jointly with partners.

Exhibitors also reported a slight decline in visitor numbers. One exhibitor, speaking anonymously, said foot traffic was noticeably lower than last year, with fewer out-of-town buyers and a higher proportion of local Chengdu visitors.

The reasons, they suggested, lie in tighter economic conditions, weaker purchasing appetite, and the growing availability of alternative information channels, reducing the fair’s effectiveness as a deal-making platform.

Wang Yutian, marketing head at Oria China, echoed the sentiment: “There are simply fewer people.”

“Offline inventory pressure remains high, sell-through is weak, and margins in instant retail are already thin while operations are complex,” he said. “When business is tough, purchasing enthusiasm naturally declines.”

Buyers more targeted

Despite lower footfall, exhibitors widely noted that visitors were more purposeful.

“More clients are asking detailed questions about grape varieties and regions,” said Laurence Bian, business manager at Interprocom Group. “Visitors this year are more professional and come with clear objectives—there’s far less casual browsing.”

Sharon Ye, China marketing director at VSPT Wine Group, observed a similar shift. While overall traffic was lower, most visitors had genuine purchasing intent.

“Buyers are looking for affordable products, distinctive labels, or innovative concepts,” she said. “Although business consumption has declined, everyday drinking demand remains, so distributors are sourcing entry-level wines.”

Bian added that distributors are increasingly focused on whether a product has a clear identity and can be easily remembered by consumers.

Ding Youzhen, China sales director at Bel Eden, noted that falling prices in baijiu have prompted some baijiu distributors to revisit wine.

“But they are no longer satisfied with margin alone—they are paying more attention to brand strength,” he said. “Wines that offer profit but lack sell-through are no longer viable.”

White wine leads demand

Among product categories, white wine stood out as a clear focus.

Momentum from last year continued, with more distributors actively seeking white wines.

Cai Lei, China sales manager at Babich Wines, said many visitors arrived with specific requirements.

“Interest in dry whites is strong, and many buyers can clearly articulate the styles or varieties they are looking for—not just price,” he said. “While Pinot Noir is gaining attention, Sauvignon Blanc remains the dominant variety.”

Fond Wine has also stepped up its white wine strategy. General manager Wu Yonglei said the company recently added a premium German Riesling to enhance brand positioning, alongside a volume-driven VDP wine and a new New Zealand dry white.

Australian producer Auswan Creek also highlighted white wine during the fair, hosting a distributor dinner themed around its “Blue Lobster” brand, which includes both white and alcohol-free wines.

For buyers, confidence appears to be improving. Lin Tianci, general manager of Xiamen Hongbozi Supply Chain Co., Ltd., said white wine was his primary focus this year—and he had already selected products.

“Last year we were still hesitant, but this year we are more confident,” he said. “Demand is clearer, and inventory has eased. Missing some opportunities is fine—the priority now is to avoid mistakes.”

Low-alcohol drinks gain traction

Alongside white wine, low-alcohol beverages—often packaged in more contemporary styles—drew significant attention.

Oran China reported stronger interest in its low-alcohol offerings compared with traditional still wines.

Wang attributed this to shifting consumer preferences. Younger drinkers are moving away from traditional wine towards flavoured alcoholic drinks such as fruit wines and sparkling beverages, as well as non-alcoholic and functional drinks.

“These products offer more diverse flavours, more stylish packaging, and marketing that resonates with younger audiences—particularly through social media,” he said.

At the same time, the traditional wine category faces intense competition and growing homogenisation, making new categories more attractive to distributors seeking differentiation.

Livestreaming expands

Livestreaming, which began appearing at the fair during the autumn 2025 edition, has become more widespread this year—highlighting the growing importance of new sales channels.

Merveille Business partnered with a livestream-focused retailer for its booth. When Vino Joy News visited, staff were actively selling wines via live broadcast.

CEO Li Yajun said the company invited top influencers from Douyin, achieving better-than-expected results and real sales conversion.

He noted that combining a B2B trade fair with consumer-facing livestreaming serves a dual purpose: enabling direct sales while significantly amplifying brand exposure.

“Compared with visiting clients one by one, a single livestream at the fair can reach far more people on Douyin,” he said.