Moutai Accelerates Internationalization: Explosive Growth in Southeast Asian Market, Low-Alcohol Spirits to Break Into Overseas Markets

In recent years, discussions about international expansion in the Baijiu industry have been heating up. As a leader in the sector, Kweichow Moutai has delivered an impressive performance in overseas markets. The company not only clarified its international market strategy through 2026 but also showcased its overseas business growth with a series of data.

At the recent International Channel Partners Conference, Moutai announced its 2025 overseas market results: duty-free channel sales doubled, Southeast Asian market sales surged over 400%, and the Zodiac Liquor series overseas sales increased by 135.5% year-over-year. Company officials stated that despite the complex and changing international environment, the fundamental stability of overseas markets has been maintained, thanks to continuous brand cultural output and channel system optimization.

Over the past year, Moutai participated in high-profile international events such as the Davos Forum and the World Chinese Business Conference, leveraging global landmarks like Singapore Changi Airport to promote its brand culture. In channel management, the company built a tiered dynamic management system, adding more than 20 international channel partners, and used precise regulation to effectively stabilize overseas product prices. This “culture + channels” dual-driven model has laid a solid foundation for its internationalization process.

Financial data shows that Moutai’s overseas business growth has surpassed its domestic market. In 2024, overseas revenue reached 5.19 billion yuan, accounting for 3% of total liquor revenue; in the first three quarters of 2025, overseas revenue was 3.893 billion yuan, an 11.8% increase year-over-year. Although the overall scale of Baijiu’s international export is limited by local drinking habits, with main consumer groups still concentrated in Chinese communities, Moutai has already dominated the industry’s export market.

The company regards internationalization as an essential path to respond to national strategies and build a world-class brand. Its market layout forms a strategic pattern of “Asia as the core, North America as support,” with a focus on Southeast Asian countries along the Belt and Road. Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore have been selected as overseas model markets, while Europe and North America will continue to strengthen their presence.

In terms of product strategy, Moutai plans to develop a “pyramid” overseas product line: using 53-degree Feitian Moutai as the base product, high-end products like boutique Moutai and cultural customized editions, and emphasizing the scarcity value of aged Moutai. To better integrate into local markets, the company is also developing a low-alcohol international version of Moutai, aiming to open up mainstream consumer markets through alcohol content adjustments.

According to management, the company has completed the “2026-2030 International Market Transformation Plan,” which shifts its international business focus from channel-driven to consumer-driven, aiming to turn overseas markets into new growth engines. This transformation covers brand positioning, product matrix, marketing models, and other dimensions, marking a systematic advancement in Moutai’s internationalization.