17th Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair wraps up on a high note with over 8,200 buyers

HONG KONG, Nov 9, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - - The three-day 17th Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair ended yesterday, attracting over 8,200 trade buyers from 57 countries and regions

- The new 'World of Spirits' zone showcased spirits from 14 countries and regions, featuring six of the 'Top 10 Chinese Baijiu Brands'

- Homegrown brands injected authentic Hong Kong character and gained recognition from overseas buyers.

The 17th Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair (Wine & Spirits Fair), organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), successfully wrapped up yesterday. Beginning on 6 November, the three-day event attracted over 8,200 trade buyers from 57 countries and regions. On the final day, the 'Wine Fiesta' zone welcomed over 11,000 adult members of the public who sampled and purchased wines and participated in master classes, tasting sessions, and seminars.

Jenny Koo, Deputy Executive Director of HKTDC, remarked: 'This year's Wine and Spirits fair brought together over 620 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions. In addition to Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, we welcomed exhibitors from the rest of Asia, Europe, and the Americas, who showcased wines and spirits from more than 40 origins. Seminars, networking events, competitions and tasting sessions were held to further industry development and reinforce Hong Kong's role as a regional wine and spirits trading hub.

The spirits market is becoming increasingly diversified. Following the HKSAR Chief Executive's announcement in last year's Policy Address to reduce the duty on high-end liquor, this year's Wine & Spirits Fair introduced a new World of Spirits zone. Exhibitors in this zone accounted for more than a third of the total, and featured whiskies, Chinese baijiu, brandy, tequila, gin, vodka, rum and more from 14 countries and regions, allowing buyers to gain deeper insights into the cultures and trends of various spirits.'

This year's exhibition was brimming with activities, while the tasting areas bustled with enthusiastic buyers and visitors. Numerous renowned importers, wholesalers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms actively attended the event for sourcing, including: XIAMEN C&D International Wines & Spirits Group Co., Ltd, Lianhua Supermarket Holdings Co., Ltd., Jiuxian, 1919.cn and Jiujiajiu from Chinese Mainland; 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; V'no.sk s.r.o. from Slovakia; Grupo Alpom Importaciones SL from Spain; Phu & Em Group from Vietnam and more.

Chinese baijiu targets new generation of consumers; emerging markets show potential

Chinese baijiu was a highlight in the 'World of Spirits' zone. The scale of the pavilion has reached a record high. It also brings six of the 'Top 10 Chinese Baijiu Brands'.

One of the exhibitors, Luzhou Laojiao from Sichuan, made a grand debut on the first day of the Wine & Spirits Fair by launching a brand-new product, 'Guojiao 1573 - Beautiful Hong Kong'. The bottle design thoughtfully incorporates iconic Hong Kong landmarks, highlighting the city's cultural identity. In recent years, Luzhou Laojiao has actively pursued strategies to attract younger demographics by lowering the alcohol content and introducing lighter series, successfully attracting next-generation consumers and emerging market buyers.

Ryan Leung, Regional Brand Promotion Manager said, 'During this fair, we held individual meetings with buyers from South Africa, Malaysia, India, Japan, and other regions to exchange views on the market potential and consumption trends of Chinese baijiu. Several orders were secured during the event, including hotel distributors and supermarket chains. The result reflects the brand's efforts in internationalisation and innovative positioning, marking a successful step forward in expanding into international market.'

Another exhibitor, Chen Neng En from Zhejiang Yuanguo Winery Industry Co., Ltd, said, 'Participating in this fair in Hong Kong has given us a deep sense of the market's diversity and vibrancy, helping younger consumers discover baijiu. We connected with some 50 buyers from across the globeincluding India, Indonesia, Canada, and various countries and regions in Southeast Asia. These included import liquor agents, high-end restaurateurs, and boutique liquor retailers.''

In addition, buyers believe that China's liquor industry is showing unprecedented potential for internationalisation. Kenneth Soh, Managing Director of Malaysian beverage distributor Luning F&B, said, 'We have already imported some Chinese baijiu, but have yet to introduce wines from Chinese Mainland. I am planning to source both red and white wines from Ningxia, while also expanding our Chinese baijiu product line. Our annual procurement is expected to reach between USD million to USD5 million.'

Global wines cater to diverse tastes

Beyond Chinese baijiu, the Wine and Spirits Fair showcased wines and spirits from around the globe, including Japanese sake, Irish whiskeys, Russian vodka and Austrian wines, and more fully demonstrating how the Wine & Spirits Fair helps brands both 'bring in' and 'go global'. David Morris, Chief Executive Officer of the Australia China Business Council Tasmania, said that they successfully connected with buyers and distributors from across Asia and promoted Australian whisky.

Einav Nixon, Commercial Consul and Head of the Israel Economic and Commercial Mission in Hong Kong and Macau, expressed her appreciation for the tasting session. She also noted, "Although Israeli wines are still considered niche in Hong Kong, buyers and media have shown keen interest in our wines and spirits, reflecting significant market potential." Nixon added that they plan to expand their presence at the Wine & Spirits Fair next year.

Local brands exhibiting at the fair actively expanded their market presence, successfully attracting attention from overseas buyers. Queenie Lau, Business Development Director of Forever Profits International Trading Limited, shared that the company's new product, 'MLW Whiskey Highball,' has expanded into both local and overseas markets just three months after its launch. The brand focuses on low-alcohol beverages, with only 6% ABV, catering to diverse market preferences. The product is now available at major Japanese department stores, and the brand is currently in discussions with hotels and venues in Macau. 'During the wine and spirits fair, the brand attracted significant attention from Chinese Mainland, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and more. Multiple distributors proactively sought us out enquired, reflecting the appeal of Hong Kong-manufactured products in Asian markets. We also received orders from several bars, and received an overwhelming response from buyers at the fair!'

Eunbin Park, a buyer from the Korean liquor distribution company, Shinsegae L&B said, 'We had a budget of USD20,000 mainly allocated for Portuguese wines from the fairair but I also visited the Australian pavilion as well, and the quality of their wines was a pleasant surprise. I am considering placing an additional order of USD10,000 for two of their wines.' Furthermore, the Wine and Spirits Fair facilitated multiple collaborations. Derek, Chairman of Hong Kong Dragonfly International Group Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Zhang Qin, the brand representative of Xinjiang's Sunyard Vinery, for a collaboration valued at at RMB300,000. The agreement covers a range of products, including low-alcohol sparkling wine, premium white wine and ros', demonstrating buyers' interest in diverse wine categories.

Exciting Events Explored Market Trends ' Tasting Sessions Receive Enthusiastic Response

45 events were held during the Wine and Spirits Fair, offering insights into the latest industry trends. Three Masters of Wine, Debra Meiburg, Jennifer Docherty, and Xing Wei, hosted key sessions. Debra Meiburg discussed how AI is transforming the wine industry in Wine Industry Conference: AI in Wine Business; Jennifer Docherty led a seminar titled Off the Beaten Path, Gems from Unsung Regions, introducing wines from Tasmania, Hungary, South Africa, and China and featuring a tasting session. While Xing Wei hosted Savour the Wines of Chinese Terroir, offering a deep dive into unique wines from Chinese Mainland.

The Wine & Spirits Fair once again featured a blind tasting event, hosted by Master of Wine, Xing Wei, sommeliers Carlito Chiu and Calvin Choi. They selected a total of 17 of their favourite wines and spirits, covering red wine, white wine, Chinese baijiu, sake/rice wine, whisky, and other spirits. These specially selected wines and spirits had special labels affixed at the fair for easy identification. Among the selections, Hong Kong's first local whisky brand, 'Kowloon Distillery'' was included in the whiskeys and spirits list. Max Rybinski, Founder of Kowloon Distillery, said, 'This recognition has greatly increased our visibility. Many buyers use this list to source products which enhances the credibility of our offerings and underscores the value of our high-quality ingredients.'

Multiple tasting sessions were held to provide industry professionals an in-depth understanding of the unique characteristics of wines and spirits from different origins. These included events such as the Cathay Global Wine and Spirits Awards Asia Winner Tasting, Exploring Yamagata Sake Terroir and Sichuan Brews, Qiong Charm - Savoring Together in Fragrant Harbor - Qionglai Production Area Tasting Event. The sessions attracted numerous buyers and wine and spirits enthusiasts who arrived early to actively participate, creating an atmosphere of knowledge sharing and interactive engagement.

The public day featured a Mixology Party with professional bartenders from Hong Kong, Indonesia and Koreaperforming live. Among them were mixologists from bars listed in the 'Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025' list, drawing enthusiastic participation from wine lovers.

Under the EXHIBITION+ hybrid mode, buyers could use the Scan2Match function of the HKTDC Marketplace App to scan exhibitors' unique QR codes during the physical exhibition. They could also bookmark favourite exhibitors, browse product information and continue discussions with exhibitors online after the show. Exhibitors and buyers can also engage in online business negotiations and matching through the Click2Match smart business matching platform until 15 November 2025.

Photo download: https://bit.ly/4hONsYX

The Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair came to a close yesterday. Over three days, over 8,200 trade buyers from 57 countries and regions attended. The final day saw over 11,000 members of the public enjoy fine wine and spirits from around the globe

More than 620 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions took part in this year's Wine & Spirits Fair

Six of the 'Top 10 Chinese Baijiu Brands' were featured in the Wine & Spirits Fair and drew interest from global buyers. The brands use innovative booth designs and interactive experiences to present a youthful image of Chinese baijiu, reflecting the industry's proactive efforts to attract a new generation of consumers

45 events and conferences were held during the Fair, including Originate from China - Sail to the World Chinese Baijiu International Trade (Asia) Forum 2025, co-organised by the China Alcoholic Drinks Association and HKTDC. The forum explored opportunities for Chinese baijiu to expand globally and attracted significant participation from overseas buyers

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

The Wine & Spirits Fair featured multiple themed zones and tasting activities, offering attendees the opportunity to sample wines from around the world, including Japanese sake

Xing Wei, the youngest Master of Wine in Asia, hosted Savour the Wines of Chinese Terroir, featuring a tasting session

The Wine & Spirits Fair hosted several wine prize presentation ceremonies and competitions, including the Cathay Global Wine and Spirits Awards Asia Award Ceremony

The Mixology Party invited professional bartenders to perform, including mixologists from bars listed in the 'Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025'

The final day of the Wine & Spirits Fair welcomed a bustling crowd, as visitors sampled fine wines from around the world across designated zones and tasting events

HKTDC Media Room: mediaroom.hktdc.com

Website

Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair: https://www.hktdc.com/event/hkwinefair/en

Media enquiries

Please contact the HKTDC's Communications & Public Affairs Department:

Katy Wong Tel: (852) 2584 4524 Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org

About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the Chinese Mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus. Follow us on @hktdc and LinkedIn

Source: HKTDC

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