Competitor Analysis – China

China is the world’s fastest growing market for wine. Given its size and preference for well-known imported wines which convey privilege and prestige, exporters globally are focused on extending and strengthening distribution channels in China, especially beyond the near-saturated markets of Tier 1 cities. However, in order to gain a foothold as an individual exporter in a vast market like China where reliance on a distributor is necessary, selecting the right partner is as critical as the localisation of product packaging and marketing. Country-of-origin branding is also an influential decision factor for wine consumers in China, and coordination between industry and government efforts plays a key role in this respect. Though Old World wines have special consumer appeal in China due to their association with heritage and sophistication, New World wines, considered more ‘approachable’ to China’s ‘new’ wine consumers, are making respectable gains.