Liquor maker to join online sales market

Chinese premium white liquor maker Sichuan Swellfun Co Ltd is poised to tap into the booming e-commerce market by working with online liquor sales platform, Jiuxian.com and launching an exclusive product to be sold on the website.

Named Shangpin and priced 398 yuan, the new product is a supplement to its core portfolio, generally sold above 400 yuan, the company said on Tuesday in Shanghai.

Founded in 2009 in Beijing, Jiuxian.com is China's first online alcohol retailer with 60 percent of its sales coming from white liquor. In 2014, it registered 200 million yuan in sales.

"We know that many Chinese consumers still associate white liquor with formal and government banquets. But with this new product, we are expecting a totally different clientele," said Craig Mackie, chief marketing officer of the company.

He portrayed potential new customers as an Internet-based generation aged from 25 to 40 and having tried little liquor before.

The ultra-luxury products of Swellfun sell at more than 10,000 yuan a bottle.

Last year another liquor manufacturer, Luzhou Laojiao, partnered with Jiuxian.com by introducing an exclusive and more affordable brand. More than 40,000 bottles, priced 139 yuan, were snapped up within the first 48 hours of launch.