China-Africa ties? We'll drink to that!

Traditional liquor is helping to further warm relations between the people of two continents

Accompanying the massive flow of Chinese investment into African countries comes a flow of Chinese liquor, which has become popular with many African consumers.

Luzhou Laojiao, a strong aromatic Chinese spirit produced by Luzhou Laojiao Co Ltd in Sichuan province, is making inroads into the African continent, driven by the strategic plan of its distribution agent to set up a sales network in Africa.

Zhan Dong, manager of China Town Supermarket and agent of Luzhou Laojiao in Africa, says he aims to bring Chinese culture to Uganda, the Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Djibouti, Madagascar and Seychelles via the liquor.

"This is partly because the headquarters of Luzhou Laojiao pays great attention to the African market and partly because a growing number of African consumers are attracted by its aroma," Zhan says.

This year, a total of seven containers of Luzhou Laojiao have been imported via the port city of Mombasa in Kenya. That is higher than the figure for either the European or the United States markets.

"Sales in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya are really surprising," Zhan says. "This indicates that African people are more attracted to the aroma than the European and US people."

The phenomenon has been put down to a growing number of African people traveling to China and trying the strong Chinese liquor. In less than five months this year, one containerful of Luzhou Laojiao was sold at Carrefour and Foodplus supermarkets in Kenya.

"The liquor is designed to target the African market in terms of its taste and packaging," says Zhan.

According to a recent market survey in Africa, the liquor market grew in Kenya in 2016 by 16 percent compared with 2015. The beer market grew by 5 percent.

"With a pickup in the economy, the consumption of fast-moving consumer goods grows fast," Zhan says.

To take advantage of the growing market, Luzhou Laojiao will launch a promotion in Kenya on September 2 in a bid to further boost the African market.

The promotion will be the second in a row after the product's debut in New York in May. The third will be in Russia later this year.

In China, liquors are divided into two flavors: the strong aromatic flavor and the Maotai flavor. The strong aromatic flavor is represented mainly by liquors from Sichuan, including Luzhou Laojiao.

The Chinese people regard the liquor as a medium for carrying traditional Chinese culture, helping people communicate, make friends and share their feelings. With the liquor's help, Chinese culture can spread wherever the Chinese are.

The technique for making the liquor reflects the customs of China. Chinese people who observe rites and etiquette believe it helps those who drink it forget their worries and nourishes their health.

Fortified by liquor and preserved vegetables, the great Chinese navigator Zheng took his fleet to Malindi and Mombasa in Kenya 600 years ago.

Following in the footsteps of its Chinese ancestors, Luzhou Laojiao has made its own step onto the African continent.

With a history of producing liquor stretching back more than 1,000 years to the Qin or Han dynasty, the Luzhou Laojiao company developed from 36 workshops in ancient times.

panzhongming@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 08/25/2017 page27)