From July 9 to 11, the Japan International Food and Beverage Expo (JFEX) was held in Tokyo, where the well-known Shaoxing huangjiu (a traditional Chinese yellow rice wine) enterprise Gu Yue Long Shan, along with over ten other huangjiu brands such as Kuaijishan, Pagoda, and Nu'er Hong, participated in a joint exhibition, attracting numerous business visitors and prompting many consumers to place orders on-site.
In recent years, Shaoxing has actively promoted high-quality development of the huangjiu industry, encouraging enterprises to "team up for overseas ventures," and continuously enhancing the recognition and reputation of Shaoxing huangjiu in international markets, achieving significant results. Currently, Shaoxing huangjiu brands, represented by Gu Yue Long Shan, have successfully entered the global market, showcasing the unique charm of Chinese huangjiu culture to consumers worldwide.
The theme of this expo was "Hometown of Shaoxing Huangjiu," featuring an exhibition area designed in a traditional style that creates the atmosphere of an old distillery. It reinforced the "Shaoxing Huangjiu" origin brand identity and displayed the entire process of huangjiu from raw materials to brewing, storage, and finally to the dining table, showcasing the craftsmanship and rich heritage behind huangjiu culture.
Japan has always been an important overseas market for huangjiu, with representative enterprises like Gu Yue Long Shan having their core export markets in Japan. The similar ingredients and brewing methods between Japanese sake and Huangjiu make it well accepted in Japan. Additionally, Shaoxing huangjiu has entered the izakaya market in Japan due to its price advantage; for instance, the "Oriental Martini" made with huangjiu has become popular among young people and is less expensive than traditional sake.
In 2023, Japan accounted for 35% of China's total huangjiu exports. This collective overseas venture by Shaoxing huangjiu not only further expands the Japanese market but also provides new opportunities for huangjiu culture to reach the world.
In addition to traditional products, Shaoxing huangjiu enterprises have been exploring innovative paths in recent years, developing derivative products such as huangjiu milk tea, coffee huangjiu, and huangjiu popsicles. These new products have gained popularity among young consumers overseas, enhancing the competitiveness of huangjiu in international markets. For example, at last year's expo, Gu Yue Long Shan's coffee huangjiu, designed with a beverage-oriented approach, was well received by young people, with one customer ordering 2,700 boxes on the spot. Kuaijishan secured an intention order worth one million dollars at the event.
While "products go overseas," enterprises are also actively promoting "cultural exchange" by organizing cultural salons overseas, which combine huangjiu tasting with cultural storytelling and help foreign consumers appreciate its history and craft. Gu Yue Long Shan, a leading Shaoxing huangjiu enterprise, opened its first overseas tasting room in Paris, France, and launched a huangjiu-themed pop-up store in Tokyo, diversifying its cultural dissemination efforts; Kuaijishan established a "Huangjiu Dojo" in Tokyo, attracting attention from local young sake brewing families.
Today, Shaoxing huangjiu enterprises are accelerating their pace of "going overseas" through various means such as exhibitions, cultural promotion, and brand building to enhance their international influence. This year, advertisements for Shaoxing huangjiu have appeared in iconic locations such as Shinjuku in Tokyo and Dotonbori in Osaka, further boosting the brand’s global visibility and recognition.
In 2024, Gu Yue Long Shan launched the global "Zhi Ci Qing Yu" campaign — a large-scale marketing initiative themed around "100 cities, 1,000 events, and 10,000 participants." The plan aims to expand sales across over 100 major cities worldwide, carry out more than 1,000 promotional events, and engage tens of thousands of participants.
As brand influence continues to grow, Shaoxing huangjiu is becoming an important representative of the internationalization of traditional Chinese liquor. With the highest export volume nationwide, huangjiu serves as a "golden business card" for Shaoxing's foreign trade. Like the drink itself, the internationalization of Chinese huangjiu requires time, patience, and quiet strength to fully mature — just as “the older the huangjiu, the better the flavor.”
