Diageo is launching its Chinese white spirit Shui Jing Fang in the UK – at £99 for a 500ml bottle.
The move is the first stage of a plan to develop the drink into an “internationally recognised brand”, Diageo said, with further launches planned across Europe throughout the year.
Distributed in the UK by specialist wholesaler SeeWoo, the Diageo u
“This launch represents a milestone in the journey of Shui Jing Fang to becoming an international brand and we look forward to working with SeeWoo to build the brand with British consumers,” said Diageo’s Andrew Cowan.
Tony Tse, managing director of SeeWoo said, “We believe the ‘baijiu’ segment has great growth potential with Chinese and British consumers alike and we are proud to be representing the brand as its distributor.”
Baijiu is a white spirit distilled from wheat or rice and represents around half of alcohol sales in China. The launch comes after Diageo last year bought a controlling stake in Sichuan Chengdu Quanxing Group.
Meanwhile, Diageo this week added Ivan Menezes to the company’s board. Menezes took over as chief operating officer in March, having stepped up from running the North American business.
Diageo chairman Franz Humer said Menezes – regarded as the favourite to take over from Paul Walsh as chief executive – had an “outstanding track record in all his leadership roles in Diageo”.
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