Baijiu is China’s representative spirit, considered to be a mainstay in all settings involving business socialisation
This alcohol is usually distilled from fermented sorghum or other grains, but is mainly identified by the use of the fermentation starter ‘jiuqu’ (酒曲) which uses a form of yeast.
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Baijiu has a history dating back hundreds of years, and one of the most well-recognised brands in this market is Moutai (Maotai) which originated from the eponymous town of Maotai in Guizhou province sometime during the Qing dynasty in the 1600s.
Meta Liquor is an offshoot from the original distillery that refined Maotai baijiu production methods, and current sixth-generation CEO Ares Liao is determined to bring baijiu into the modern age.
“The fact is that baijiu is known for being very strong and high in ABV, but this is not what younger consumers and especially Gen Z’s are interested in,” she told us during the recent Food and Beverage Innovation Forum (FBIF) in Shanghai.
“Our generation likes soft drinks, we like drinks with sweetness, and we like the additional sensory enjoyment of fizziness in our drinks.”
This concept has formed the basis of Meta Liquor’s unique sparkling baijiu which comes in two flavours: Sea salt Pineapple and Grape Yuzu, both fruity flavours in line with Gen Z flavour trends.
“We use our traditional 53% ABV baijiu to make these 10% ABV drinks,” she said.
“This is the ABV we chose because it is easy to drink but can still give the drinker that ‘alcohol high’ – that said the benefit of using our high-quality baijiu as the base is that drinkers don’t have to deal with headaches or hangovers the next day.”
Baijiu in business
In terms of volume, baijiu reigns supreme as the largest spirits category not only in China but also the world, according to IWSR research data.
“More than 80% of the status spirits sector (products prices above US$100 per bottle) was accounted for by high-end baijiu sales in China during 2022,” IWSR stated.
One of the main reasons for its enduring market strength is its role in business discussions – Chinese business culture is one of the most intense in the world, and businessmen are expected to ‘drink until drunk’ in socialisation settings as it is a common belief that they will show their ‘true selves’ only once intoxicated.
Baijiu’s high ABV means that intoxication can be achieved quickly, and the willingness to get drunk together is conventionally equated to being trustworthy.
“Many younger Chinese drinkers have a negative perception of traditional baijiu and the relevant business settings as a result of growing up with this culture, so we hope to reinvent baijiu in a modern fashion that will distance it from the negativity and bring it into a new era,” Liao said.
“Mixology and new product innovations such as this sparkling baijiu are some of the ways we aim to do this.”
Watch the video above to find out more.
