Italian spirits company Campari – a well-established brand in the spirits industry, with a strong portfolio of products that includes Aperol and Glen Grant – has formed a strategic partnership with Chinese liquor producer Sichuan Yibin Wuliangye Group to jointly boost its presence in the Chinese and global spirits markets. According to ESM magazine, this partnership will allow the Italian spirits brand to leverage Wuliangye’s expertise in the Chinese market, while Wuliangye will gain access to Campari’s portfolio of Western spirits brands.
Wuliangye is the world’s largest producer of baijiu, a type of Chinese liquor that is popular in China and other Asian countries. The two companies also plan to develop and co-create new products that are suitable for different occasions.
Bob Kunze-Concewitz, CEO of Campari Group said the spirit of cooperation between Campari and Wuliangye is “rooted in deep respect for each other’s strengths and reflects the shared values of pragmatism and agility.”
In October, the Italian spirits group said its third-quarter like-for-like sales rose by 4.4% at constant exchange rates, below analyst expectations.
CAMPARI EXPANSION IN THE ASIA PACIFIC MARKET
This partnership is expected to help both companies grow their businesses in the Asia Pacific market, where Campari currently generates around 7% of its total revenue.
In September, Wuliangye and Campari jointly released a brand-new cocktail, the “Wugroni”, made with a special blend of Wuliangye Baijiu that it co-created by both companies.