Major growth opportunities for European wine producers in Greater China

Marketing and distribution organisation Jebsen increased wine business by 25 per cent in 2012

Munich – March 4 2013 – Jebsen Group (Jebsen), a leading marketing and distribution organisation for premium products with a unique presence in Greater China, is announcing a 25 per cent growth of its wine business in 2012 reflecting the growing interest of the population in this market to being part of the wine culture.

Jebsen is supporting foreign wine vendors expanding into the region through an established network of local channels for sales and enhancing brand awareness. To take the business further this year, Jebsen will continue to broaden its distribution, especially outside first-tier cities in Mainland China where there is a rapid surge of the middle class, and continue to host wine events across the region to educate the market.

Wine consumption is currently one of the emerging lifestyle trends for consumers in China. According to the Deutsche Weininstitut (English: German Wine Institute), German wine exports to China have grown 15 per cent in volume and 19 per cent in value in 2011. For the European Union as a whole, export grew 49 per cent in volume and 78 per cent in volume according to the European Commission. Consequently China has become the third largest export market for European wines.

Steadily rising exports make China the most important and attractive Asian export market for European winemakers. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), Chinese consumption of wine increased by 55 per cent, by 6.1 million hectoliter to 17 million hectoliter in the period from 2001 to 2011. Compared to the growth of production volume which only accumulated about 20 per cent in the same period, wine imports to China have been strong for years.

“European wines are becoming increasingly popular among Chinese consumers at the moment. Especially for the growing middle class, wine consumption speaks of a lifestyle of finer appreciation and sophistication. We expect the market for imported mid-priced wines to double in the next four years and European wine producers will be well placed for growth thanks to the high quality of their wines,” said Mr Gavin Jones, Director for Jebsen Fine Wines.

Due to the differences in distribution and consumption of mid-priced wines in Greater China compared to Europe, winemakers need to set up a go-to-market strategy that is tailor-made for the local consumers. Hence, a lot of wine businesses prefer to work with local distribution partners with a dedicated market presence in order to serve the Chinese market successfully. Jebsen Fine Wines, a division under the Beverage Business Unit of Jebsen, has been fast expanding its distribution network in Greater China for leading beverage manufacturers, such as Henkell and Deinhard from Germany and Champagne Bollinger from France, leveraging decades of comprehensive knowledge and extensive experience in the industry.

“Chinese consumers are very focussed on recognisable premium brands. European wines have the great opportunity of building their brand awareness and positioning themselves effectively in a relatively young market,” added Mr Jones.

About Jebsen Group
What started over a hundred years ago as a general trading company has now evolved into a focussed marketing and distribution organisation, deeply embedded in the industries and markets it serves. With a unique long established presence in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, the Jebsen Group offers local market access with a high degree of specialisation and knowledge to companies from around the world. From a broad spectrum of consumer, industrial, beverage and luxury products, Jebsen is responsible for bringing unparalleled quality to the regional markets, adapting to the rapidly changing business landscape in East Asia. Outside the region, the Jebsen Group enjoys close ties with sister companies in Australia, Bangladesh, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Denmark, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates and the United States. For more information, please visit the Jebsen website (www.jebsen.com) and Jebsen Facebook page (facebook.com/jebsengroup), or follow us on Sina Weibo (weibo.com/jebsengroup).

For any media enquiries, please contact:
Jebsen & Co
Darren How
Tel: 86 21 2306 4755
E-mail: darrenhow@jebsen.com

Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
Mareike Lenzen
Tel: 089 6281 75 28
E-mail: Jebsen_Germany@waggeneredstrom.com

Annette Müller
Tel: 089 6281 75 23
E-mail: Jebsen_Germany@waggeneredstrom.com

This release was published on openPR.