About three months ago, I posted an article about baijiu. My goal was to show western drinkers that the booze world in China was the next big thing; or rather already the big thing, because—bottle for bottle—baijiu is the most consumed spirit on the planet.
To pile on to my previous sentiment, I give you this article from the Wall Street Journal.
Kweichow Moutai Co. , the best-known distiller of the fiery Chinese spirit baijiu, has risen to a market value of more than half a trillion dollars, making it the most visible symbol of investor euphoria in China.
Moutai shares closed at a record high Wednesday, on the last trading day before a weeklong Lunar New Year holiday. They have more than doubled in the past 12 months, gaining more than 30% since the start of 2021.
The rally has turned the liquor company into one of the world’s most valuable consumer-goods companies, outstripping giants such as Procter & Gamble Co. , Nestlé SA and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE .
It is now roughly as important to the Chinese market as Apple Inc. is in the U.S., accounting for 7.3% of the Shanghai Composite Index while Apple makes up about 6.7% of the S&P 500.
And yet 99.9% of drinkers I know have never even heard of Moutai, let alone tried it.
Like I said before, if you’re looking for the next great spirits adventure, it’s happening in China.
-David Driscoll