According to the data of the Liquor Importers and Exporters Branch of the China Chamber of Commerce for Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal Husbandry, from January to December 2021, the import volume of gin (gin) exceeded 2.9 million liters, and the import value reached 13.64 million US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 65.64%. And 83.90%, which is a category with a larger increase in imported spirits.
In the past three years, in addition to the slight drop in the import volume of gin due to the outbreak of the epidemic in 2020, the volume of gin has increased significantly in 2019 and 2021, and the attention of gin has also increased.
Importer sales up more than 15%
Terminal sales increased by about 1/4
founder of Premier Spirits Shanghai Puyi Wine Industry, said that from the perspective of the company’s only gin product, sales and sales have both increased steadily, and the growth rate is around 15%. He believes that the import data shows that The sharp increase in the output “should be caused by the combination of the slowdown in imports caused by the epidemic in 2020 and the market recovery in 2021.”
Su Yuan, general manager of Qingdao Lanhulan International Commerce and Trade, is an importer of several niche gins. She admits that there will be growth in 2021, and the sales volume will increase by about 20%.Yuan Zhenchao, the head of Dongguan Xinzhiyi Trading, is not only a gin lover, but also sells gin in physical stores and online stores. He told WBO Spirits Business Observer that starting from 2020, he feels that the popularity of high-end gin has increased significantly. From only dozens of products on the market to now more than 600, there has been a significant improvement in the order of magnitude; in terms of sales, from 120,000 to 30,000 yuan a month in 2020 to more than 150,000 yuan in 2021, This was achieved on the basis of a reduction of nearly 30% of SKUs.
Different from the previous impression of cheap gin, handmade gin priced at several hundred yuan has been recognized by more and more people in China in recent years.
Gu Yuping, the brand promotion representative of Hanke Fiesnet Group in China, told WBO Spirits Business Observation that the group has both commercial gin and handmade gin products. Commercial gin generally sells for tens of yuan, while handmade gin can be sold To four or five hundred yuan, the main reason is that in addition to the outstanding individual characteristics of handmade gin, its production capacity is limited, the output of each batch is not high, and the price is naturally high. In addition, because gin does not need to be aged, the world’s largest spirits groups have strong gin brands; in addition, the brewing threshold is not high, so there will be a lot of handmade gins in the world, which also causes domestic consumers to produce handmade gins. The impression of gin’s rising popularity.
Guo Peng is also optimistic about the prospects of handmade gin. He believes that enthusiasts will continue to try different styles of gin, and some buyers are attracted by the packaging. This is mainly because the packaging of gin is generally more personalized. , has a certain ornamental value.
Su Yuan said that the current sales of handmade gin below 300 yuan are relatively good. She believes that this is related to the increase in the new generation of consumers with a background of studying abroad. This part of the population is willing to accept new things and pay attention to personalized consumption.
Yuan Zhenchao also said that in addition to bars, the most obvious feeling is that individual consumers of gin have also begun to increase. The technical threshold for making a cup of gin and tonic at home is not high, and it is easy to achieve, which makes them often choose some personalities. Prominent handmade gins, especially some of the high-value products, sell very well.
Director Tian of Zhangzhou Balang Liquor Industry Distillation Workshop in Zhangzhou, Fujian majored in chemistry. In 2016, he first made absinthe and then gin. By the end of 2018, he resigned to build a factory. He told WBO Spirits Business Observation that gin is a flavor-enhancing spirit with double distillation as the main method. The production and drinking methods are very open, and it is a very suitable spirit category for exploration. “Because of the small scale of handmade wineries, it is easier to develop products with new flavors and combine various local materials. For example, we use iconic local products such as Yangmei from Zhangzhou, Souchong black tea from Wuyishan, Tieguanyin from Anxi, as well as citron, Chinese characteristic fruits and spices such as angelica and angelica.”
The fastest (growth) in the future is gin, which will kill whisky. Gu Yuping made no secret of his optimism about the future of gin. He cited as an example that there are already hundreds of bars in China that only sell gin, which is second only to whisky bars in spirits. “You have never seen pure brandy.” Bar Bar? He analyzed that this is first because in addition to the commercial gins under the major spirits groups, there are also many handmade gins. The base wine is not accompanied by vegetables, so the intake of energy is low, which is very attractive to young people who are concerned about health and keeping in shape.
Guo Peng believes that the gin market in China should maintain a growth trend for a long time. First of all, thanks to the large number of Chinese consumers, and young consumers are more interested in cocktails; secondly, cocktail bars have sprung up in various cities, providing a strong guarantee for the consumption of gin; finally, in the field of cocktails, The popularity of gin as a base wine ranks among the top. “However, the volume potential of gin is different from that of brandy and whisky, because the consumption scene of gin is relatively simple: it is mainly concentrated in the bar, not the dining table.” He analyzed.
Su Yuan analyzed that the next few years will be a period of rapid development of gin. First of all, it is necessary to continue to refresh most people’s impression that the category is cheap and only for bartending; secondly, there will be more and more professional gin bars, because gin is very important for gin. The start-up cost of cloth goods for bar operators is also relatively low, and consumers will have more opportunities to come into contact with gin. Of course, she believes that the competition in the future will become more and more fierce, and more niche gins will be imported into China. Most products may only be short-lived, but there will always be a few outstanding gins that will change from niche to most consumed. well-known products.
Director Tian also expressed optimism about the prospects of gin in China: “China has been a country of flavors since ancient times, and has a soft spot for the exploration of flavors. Gin is such a fun spirit that naturally has its place.”
Yuan Zhenchao believes that although the growth of gin is fast, it is also due to its low base in the domestic market. At present, the popularity of gin, especially handmade gin, is mainly concentrated in first-tier cities. Compared with other spirits categories, the market promotion of gin brands Smaller, currently mainly in the form of guest bartending, the growth is more driven by the enthusiasm of enthusiasts.
Post time: Mar-22-2022