The founders of the 9 Rivers Distillery start-up reckon they’ve the measure of the Chinese language drinks market, writes George Morahan

An estimated 4 billion bottles of spirits are bought in China every year, and three.9bn of them are native spirits. The remaining 100m are imported western spirits equivalent to gin, rum and whisky, however the native style is for baijiu, of which almost 17bn litres is produced.

China accounts for round 30% of worldwide spirits consumption and whisky makes up simply 1% of the Chinese language liquor market, in contrast with baijiu’s 96%, in response to consulting agency Ries.

Whisky gross sales in China peaked at €1.9bn in 2012 earlier than a ban on entertaining at public expense as a part of a significant anti-corruption drive hit gross sales over the following decade, and so they nonetheless haven’t recovered.

Euromonitor estimates that whisky gross sales within the nation, which has a inhabitants of 1.4 billion, had a worth of €1.7bn final 12 months, and the market analysis firm count on this to extend to €2.2bn by 2025 on the again of intense competitors amongst western manufacturers.

Jameson proprietor Pernod Ricard plans funding of $150m over 10 years in its malt whisky distillery in Sichuan province whereas Scottish distillery tools maker Forsyth’s has kitted out a brand new distillery in Internal Mongolia.

Elsewhere, Diageo has invested $75m to construct its first malt whisky distillery in Yunnan province, and in complete there are round 16 distilleries of word in China which might be both in operation or below development.

Amongst them is the 17,200 sq. metre website in Longyan owned by 9 Rivers Distillery, a enterprise established by western expatriates. After a ground-breaking ceremony in February 2022, the foundations will quickly be poured, in response to Stephen Alexander, one of many 9 Rivers founders.

Alexander used to dwell in Shenzhen and was working as a pilot for Hainan Airways when Covid-19 hit China. The married father-of-three has since returned to Ryanair, understanding of Poland whereas dealing with advertising and marketing, communications and social media for 9 Rivers and main efforts in Europe to draw new buyers.

The Kildare man explains that the 9 Rivers concept had its genesis in expat whisky golf equipment. 9 Rivers CEO Jay Robertson, who has labored within the drinks sector in China for 20 years, ran the tasting occasions that Alexander attended, and Robertson could be very a lot the 9 Rivers primary man.

The chance, Alexander says, is in undercutting established whisky manufacturers that promote in China for €40 to €50 per 70cl bottle after delivery prices and taxes.

“From a industrial viewpoint, the market is there,” he says. “It positively has large potential to be very worthwhile. Our primary focus will likely be single malt whisky to compete with the native Chinese language spirits by way of worth,” says Alexander

9 Rivers Distillery was initially funded with fairness seed funding and convertible mortgage notes amounting to €2.2m. This went in the direction of buying the 17,240 sq. metre land parcel for the distillery, architect charges, Environmental Influence Report and all the different processes and procedures required to safe the constructing permits.

Different start-up prices embody excavating your complete website, laying down 2,000 cubic metres of water storage, primarily for hearth security necessities, and to put the foundations for the buildings.

Based on managing director Hayden Zou, relationships with native stake holders are vital to the success of any undertaking in China.

“Many individuals wrongly suppose that issues in China occur naturally quick, and that when you grease just a few palms issues go even sooner. Fairly merely, this isn’t true for any severe enterprise,” says Zou.

“China is without doubt one of the strictest international locations on this planet regarding development and security, with guidelines which might be closely biased in the direction of the security of workers and most people.”

Zou provides: “That is doubly true for a distillery the place fires and explosions are a chance. There have been a number of situations the place we needed a particular design, however hearth laws wouldn’t enable it or the Feng Shui grasp would veto it.  Thankfully, via concerted  engagement, we have now been capable of construct lasting relationships with necessary stakeholders in Fujian.”

Jay Robertson, CEO and founding father of 9 Rivers Distillery, is understood in China’s expat circles as ‘Mayor of Liquor City’. This references Robertson’s many years of expertise of importing western booze into China, as evidenced by the a whole lot of whisky bottles on show in his workplace.

“In a approach, he’s the glue that holds us collectively,” says Zou. “Jay has at all times stated that the 9 Rivers Distillery undertaking will at all times be in regards to the folks concerned and never about him. However the reality of the matter is his imaginative and prescient and insane ardour for the distillery are the explanation all of us received concerned and invested within the first place.

“Jay is probably the most troublesome particular person I’ve ever labored with, however he additionally occurs to be probably the most proficient particular person I’ve ever labored with.

“There’s technique to his insanity and he’s a pacesetter with imaginative and prescient, a nerd with a broad vary of passions, and an excellent man who I belief with the way forward for this undertaking.”

The enterprise has been looking for to boost a further €14m since 2020, with €3.5m of that pledged thus far. Enterprise funding is required to cowl the price of development of the distillery, fit-out, and dealing capital.

The marketing strategy requires manufacturing of 1.3m litres of pure alcohol equal (or 7,000 casks) by the tip of 12 months one, rising to a most of 15m litres in 2016, which might make it one of many world’s largest distilleries.

The minimal funding within the enterprise is RMB25,000, equal to c.€3,650. The corporate says the shareholder’s settlement is structured to encourage individuals who wish to make investments for a minimal time period of 5 years. And to remain in contact with progress, buyers are anticipated to enroll in a WeChat account.

Principal picture: How the promoters envisage 9 Rivers Distillery when development is full