We have just returned from the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, which took place from November 6th to 8th. The 17th Wine & Spirits Fair, organized by the HKTDC, concluded successfully. This essential event for wine and spirits professionals attracted over 8,200 trade buyers from 57 countries and regions. On the final day, the « Wine Fiesta » area welcomed more than 11,000 visitors who were able to sample wines, participate in master classes, and order wines.

Photo : RVI

Jenny Koo, Deputy Executive Director of the HKTDC, told us that « this year’s Hong Kong Wine Fair brought together more than 620 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. In addition to mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, we welcomed exhibitors from the rest of Asia, Europe, and the Americas, who showcased wines and spirits from over 40 origins. Conferences, networking events, competitions, and numerous tastings were organized to foster the development of the sector and strengthen Hong Kong’s role as a regional trading platform for wines and spirits. »

The spirits market is becoming increasingly diversified. Following the Hong Kong government’s announcement last year to reduce tariffs on spirits, the Hong Kong Wine and Spirits Fair inaugurated a new « World of Spirits » area. Exhibitors in this area represented more than a third of the total and showcased whiskies, Chinese baijiu, brandy, tequila, gin, vodka, rum, and much more, from 14 countries and regions, allowing the many buyers to gain a better understanding of the trends in different spirits.

This year’s exhibition was full of activities, and the tasting areas were bustling with many enthusiastic buyers and visitors. Numerous importers, wholesalers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms actively participated in the event to gather information and place new orders, including: XIAMEN C&D International Wines & Spirits Group Co., Ltd, Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co., Ltd., Jiuxian, 1919.cn, and Jiujiajiu from mainland China; Specks Food & Liquor Group PTY LTD from Australia; Mikkeller APS from Denmark; Munjral Brothers (Distribution) Pvt Ltd from India; Mercian Corporation and The Thousand Kyoto from Japan; Hotel Kazakhstan Almaty from Kazakhstan; Shinsegae L&B and Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas from South Korea; Luen Heng F&B Sdn Bhd from Malaysia; Víno.sk s.r.o. from Slovakia; Grupo Alpom Importaciones SL from Spain; Phu & Em Group from Vietnam, and many others.

Six of the “Top 10 Chinese Baijiu Brands” were featured in the Wine & Spirits Fair.

Chinese baijiu was a highlight of the « World of Spirits » section. The size of the pavilion reached a record high. It also featured six of the « Top 10 Chinese Baijiu Brands. »

One of the exhibitors, Luzhou Laojiao from Sichuan, made a remarkable entrance on the first day of the Wine and Spirits Fair by launching a brand new product, « Guojiao 1573 • Beautiful Hong Kong. » The bottle design cleverly incorporates iconic Hong Kong landmarks, highlighting the city’s cultural identity. In recent years, Luzhou Laojiao has actively implemented strategies to attract a younger clientele by reducing the alcohol content and introducing lighter ranges, successfully appealing to new-generation consumers and buyers in emerging markets. Ryan Leung, the regional brand promotion manager, explained: « During this fair, we held one-on-one meetings with buyers from South Africa, Malaysia, India, Japan, and other regions to discuss the market potential and consumption trends of Chinese baijiu. Several orders were concluded during the event, particularly with hotel distributors and supermarket chains. This result demonstrates the brand’s efforts in internationalization and innovative positioning, marking a significant step in its expansion into the international market. »

Another exhibitor, Chen Neng En from Zhejiang Yuanguo Winery Industry Co., Ltd., told us: « Participating in this fair in Hong Kong allowed us to better understand the diversity and dynamism of the market, and to help young consumers discover baijiu. We made contact with about fifty buyers from around the world, including India, Indonesia, Canada, and various countries and regions in Southeast Asia. Among them were spirits import agents, high-end restaurateurs, and specialized wine merchants. »

Furthermore, buyers believe that the Chinese spirits industry has unprecedented potential for internationalization. Kenneth Soh, Managing Director of Malaysian beverage distributor Luning F&B, told us: “We already import Chinese baijiu, but we haven’t yet introduced wines from mainland China. I plan to source red and white wines from Ningxia, while also expanding our range of Chinese baijiu.” Our annual purchases are expected to reach between US$1 million and US$5 million.

Wines from around the world cater to diverse tastes.

Celebrity Bernice Liu led a guided wine tour, attracting many buyers to participate.

While Chinese baijiu was strongly represented this year, the Hong Kong Wine Fair also showcased wines and spirits from around the world, including French wines from Bordeaux with Maisons Joanne and Le Star, Jeeper and Paul Laurent champagnes, Italian, Portuguese, Hungarian, Austrian, Australian, and Chinese wines, Japanese sake, Irish whiskey, Russian vodka, and more, demonstrating how the Hong Kong Wine Fair helps brands both “establish themselves” and “expand internationally.” David Morris, Managing Director of the Australia-China Business Council of Tasmania, told us that they had successfully made contact with buyers and distributors from across Asia and promoted Australian whiskey. Joelle Zeng, Asia Manager of Maison Joanne, expressed her satisfaction: “We are happy to see so many local visitors! We had many inquiries, mainly from small distributors in the region.”

Local brands exhibiting at the fair actively expanded their market presence, successfully attracting the attention of overseas buyers. Queenie Lau, Business Development Director of Forever Profits International Trading Limited, indicated that the company’s new product, the « MLW Whiskey Highball, » had gained traction in both local and international markets just three months after its launch. The brand focuses on low-alcohol beverages, with only 6% alcohol content, catering to diverse market preferences. The product is now available in major Japanese department stores, and the brand is currently in discussions with hotels and establishments in Macau. « During the Wine & Spirits Fair, the brand generated significant interest from mainland China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and other regions. Many distributors contacted us proactively, demonstrating the appeal of Hong Kong-made products in Asian markets. We also received orders from several bars and enjoyed resounding success with buyers at the fair! »

More than 620 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions took part.

Eunbin Park, a buyer from the Korean spirits distribution company Shinsegae L&B, said: « We had a budget of US$20,000 primarily allocated to Portuguese wines at the fair, but I also visited the Australian pavilion, and the quality of their wines was a pleasant surprise. I am considering placing an additional order of US$10,000 for two of their wines. » Furthermore, the Wine & Spirits Fair facilitated numerous collaborations. Derek, Chairman of Hong Kong Dragonfly International Group Limited, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zhang Qin, representative of the Sunyard Vinery brand from Xinjiang, for a collaboration worth RMB 300,000. The agreement covers a range of products, including low-alcohol sparkling wine, white wine, and premium rosé, demonstrating buyers’ interest in diverse wine categories.

45 events were held during the Wine Fair, offering insights into the latest industry trends. Three Masters of Wine, Debra Meiburg, Jennifer Docherty, and Xing Wei, led key sessions. Debra Meiburg addressed how AI is transforming the wine industry at the Wine Industry Conference: « AI in the Wine Sector »; Jennifer Docherty hosted a seminar titled « Off the Beaten Path, Gems from Unsung Regions, » showcasing wines from Tasmania, Hungary, South Africa, and China, with a tasting session. As for Xing Wei, she led « Savoring the Terroir Wines of China, » offering an in-depth look at the unique wines of mainland China.

Xing Wei, the youngest Master of Wine in Asia, hosted Savour the Wines of Chinese Terroir.

The Wine Fair also featured a blind tasting, led by Master of Wine Xing Wei, and sommeliers Carlito Chiu and Calvin Choi. They selected 17 of their favorite wines and spirits, covering red wine, white wine, Chinese baijiu, sake, whisky, and other spirits. These specially selected wines and spirits had special labels affixed at the show to facilitate identification. Among the selections, Hong Kong’s first local whisky brand, « Kowloon Distillery, » was featured on the list of whiskies and spirits. Max Rybinski, founder of Kowloon Distillery, told us: « This recognition has significantly increased our visibility. Many buyers are using this list to source products, which strengthens the credibility of our offerings and highlights the value of our high-quality products. »

Numerous tastings were organized to allow industry professionals to better understand the unique characteristics of wines and spirits from different origins. These events included a tasting of the winners of the Cathay Global Wine and Spirits Awards Asia, an exploration of the sake terroir of Yamagata and beers from Sichuan, and the « Qiong Charm – Savoring Together in the Fragrant Harbor – Qionglai Production Area » tasting event. These sessions attracted numerous buyers and wine and spirits enthusiasts who arrived early to participate actively, creating an atmosphere of knowledge sharing and interaction.

The day open to the public – which allowed 11,000 visitors to discover the wines and spirits – included a mixology evening hosted by professional bartenders from Hong Kong and Indonesia.

Contact us if you would like to participate in the next Hong Kong Wine Fair, which will take place in November 2026.
We are Agent for French wine and spirits companies : contact (a) larvi.com

This article was published on November 10th 2025.