Sake: Interview with Dalian Sake Importer: “Selling sake and liqueurs are the best “
Dalian
December 27, 2019
Sake: Chinese Dalian Sake Import Company
In the three northeastern provinces (Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang), economic exchange with Japan is active.
Buyers handling Japanese imported foods are concentrated around Dalian City.
Dalian Drip Water Trade:
Dalian Yizui Trading mainly imports sake and liqueurs.
We asked Prime Minister about business overview, sales channels, hot-selling products, and future business development (December 16)
(Q) What is the outline of your business?
(A) Started trading business in 2005 and started handling Japanese liquor in 2010.
Sake ingredients are Japanese rice and water.
It cannot be easily replaced by foreign sake.
“There is definitely a need for Japanese alcoholic beverages,” he said.
Sales of Japanese alcoholic beverages increased from 100,000 yuan in 2010 (about 1.6 million yen, 1 yuan = about 16 yen) to 2.4 million yuan in 2019.
(Q) What is the sales route?
(Answer) At first, the company expanded its sales channels mainly at actual stores.
Currently a Japanese restaurant in the three northeastern provinces, Beijing and Shanghai.
Luxury supermarkets in the three northeastern provinces and Beijing Hualien Group (BHG).
We also sell to supermarkets nationwide, such as Hisamitsu Department Store.
Electronic commerce (EC):
From 2017, sales via electronic commerce (EC) have also started.
Delivered to directly managed stores in Jingdong (JD.COM) and Taobao companies and shoppers.
E-commerce sales are increasing year by year and now represent 65% of total sales.
(Q) What is the best selling product?
(Answer) Sake and liqueur. Approximately 80% of the monthly sales volume is imported, which is about 2,000 units.
50% sake
Liqueur is 40%,
Shochu accounts for 10%.
Sake and liqueurs: consumption targets
The consumption of sake and liqueurs is also expanding to women.
Especially in EC sales, women in their 20s and 30s sell well.
The colorful and cute design package is popular.
This is because the price is 100-200 yuan per unit and can be purchased easily.
Low alcohol content and easy drinking are also major factors that attract young women.
Shochu sales:
On the other hand, the sales of shochu are not good.
Although the recipe is similar to Chinese white sake, it has a lower alcohol content and lighter aroma than white sake.
It does not fit the tastes of Chinese consumers.
(Q) What are the issues in dealing with Japanese companies?
(A) He frequently travels to Japan to discover new products through tours of liquor-related exhibitions and tours of sake breweries.
In Japan, many small and medium-sized companies have a history of hundreds of years.
We are often surprised by the corporate culture dedicated to maintaining quality.
(Q) What is your future business development?
(Answer) I heard that there are more than 1,000 Japanese sake brewing companies, but only about 60 can be visited yet.
In recent years, the need for Japanese whiskey has been increasing in the Chinese market, and we are also expecting business talks with Japanese whiskey makers.
-JETRO
https://www.jetro.go.jp/biznews/2019/12/7808af56d4564fa5.html