Hong Kong wine taste to diversify
By 2011-11-17 22:00:22
Despite its hot, humid climate, people in Hong Kong have a legendary thirst for expensive red Bordeaux, but tastes are beginning to diversify.
The Vinexpo study noted that the Hong Kong preference for French wine over Australian is now “marginal”. The US, Chile and Spain are also enjoying growth of market share. Between 2005 and 2009 French wine accounted for around 28% of Hong Kong imports ahead of Australia’s 24% and America’s 13.7%.
In March this year Vinexpo’s Robert Beynat proclaimed Hong Kong “the most mature wine market in Asia” on the basis of the findings of the exhibition organiser’s annual survey of the international wine and spirits market.
The Vinexpo report forecasts a 57% increase in wine consumption between 2010 and 2014, with average per capita annual consumption rising by two litres per year to 6.5 litres.
“There used to be maybe 200 serious wine importers,” says Toby Marion, of US wine specialist Golden Gate Wines. “There’s probably 600 to 700 now, and the number of wine-related companies is said to be over 3,000. That’s a lot of little traders.”
According to a Hong Kong government survey conducted in 2010, about 850 new wine-related companies were set up in 2008 and 2009. That brought the total to about 3,550, while the number of people employed in wine-related businesses increased by more than 5,000 to about 40,000.
The Vinexpo study noted that the Hong Kong preference for French wine over Australian is now “marginal”. The US, Chile and Spain are also enjoying growth of market share. Between 2005 and 2009 French wine accounted for around 28% of Hong Kong imports ahead of Australia’s 24% and America’s 13.7%.
In March this year Vinexpo’s Robert Beynat proclaimed Hong Kong “the most mature wine market in Asia” on the basis of the findings of the exhibition organiser’s annual survey of the international wine and spirits market.
The Vinexpo report forecasts a 57% increase in wine consumption between 2010 and 2014, with average per capita annual consumption rising by two litres per year to 6.5 litres.
“There used to be maybe 200 serious wine importers,” says Toby Marion, of US wine specialist Golden Gate Wines. “There’s probably 600 to 700 now, and the number of wine-related companies is said to be over 3,000. That’s a lot of little traders.”
According to a Hong Kong government survey conducted in 2010, about 850 new wine-related companies were set up in 2008 and 2009. That brought the total to about 3,550, while the number of people employed in wine-related businesses increased by more than 5,000 to about 40,000.
From cnwinenews