Sino-French Cultural Exchanges and Promotion Forum Held in Shanghai
Sino-French Cultural Exchanges and Promotion Forum was held in Shanghai on November 16. The forum focused on the diversification between the development of imported wine and local wine.
Representatives from the China National Food Industry Association, China Alcoholic Drinks Circulation Association, China Wine Supervision and Inspection Center, Shanghai Liquor Monopoly Authority, Guangdong Shanghai Liquor Monopoly Authority, as well as Alcoholic Drinks Circulation Association of Shanghai, Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang attended the forum. Attendees also included representatives of France Languedoc-Roussillon wine industry associations and producers, nearly 300 people attended the forum.
Mr Liu yuan, Secretary-General of Chinese Alcoholic Drinks Circulation Association said, “ the Chinese wine market made a rapid progress in recent years, and imported wine market has great potential. In 2007, imported wine reached 14.73 million liters by volume, among which below 2 liters packaging reached 4.23 million liters, an increase of 111.5 million liters.
Lu Ronghua , director of Shanghai Liquor Monopoly Authority, analyze the status quo of imported wine market in China. He said that Shanghai total alcohol consumption in 135 million to 140 million liters last year, while wine accounted for about 5% of the total. This year, due to financial crisis, many high-end liquor products are suffering sales decline, but the consumption of imported wine has a more substantial growth.
Yang Qiang, general director of China Food Industry Association Wine Committee, pointed out that imported wine in Chinese market should "do as the Romans do". Imported wine are required to understand the Chinese market and the characteristics of Chinese consumers, and promote their products according to the characteristics of the channel. And the development of Chinese wine culture should have its unique characteristics basing on foreign wine culture .
Chairman of International Economic Development Bureau in France Languedoc - Roussillon introduced southern wine region in France. Cen ling, Chairman of Shanghai Lange International Trade Development Co., Ltd, which is Chinese agent of “south of France” wine brand, said they are planning to build first-class wine imports and sales network in three years in Chinese