“More Chinese people like wine – they want to know more about it” – Interview, Alan’s Wines & Spirits chairman Alan Wang

Alan Wang was bitten by the wine bug while he was studying in California. When he returned to his native China in 2011, he started a wine store business that now has 86 outlets across China, catering to the growing demand from the country’s middle-class consumers. Business is booming – Wang has plans to open 30 more stores this year – a situation he puts down to his decision to sell wine as a lifestyle rather than a product. His stores are decked out with flowers and also have cafés and spaces for events and tastings. “We are selling beauty, not wine,” Wang said when just-drinks sat down with him during the 2017 China Food & Drinks Fair in Chengdu, the biggest wine & spirits exhibition in the country. He spoke about the changing face of the Chinese consumer and reveals what he looks for in wine before allowing it on his shelves.

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