Wuliangye Launches Marketing Unit, Ending Stockpiling and Focusing on C‑End Users

Background and Strategic Move

On April 8 2026, Wuliangye established Sichuan Wuliangye Digital Marketing Co., Ltd. with a registered capital of ¥1 billion, wholly owned by its new‑retail management subsidiary. This marks the first major Chinese liquor maker to operationalize the T9 summit’s consensus that the industry must pivot from B‑end channel focus to C‑end consumer orientation.

End of the Stockpiling Era

The traditional three‑decade “channel‑as‑king” model—where manufacturers push inventory to distributors, who in turn pressure retailers—has produced short‑term volume spikes but now fuels a systemic crisis. The China Alcoholic Drinks Association and KPMG’s 2025 mid‑term report show average inventory turnover exceeding 900 days and 60 % of firms facing price‑inversion, especially in the ¥800‑¥1500 segment. Notable price drops include Maotai’s 1935 series falling from ¥1,800 to ¥650 per bottle (over 60 % decline) and Junpin Xijiu losing 39.82 %.

The vicious loop of “push‑stock → discount‑sell → price‑collapse → consumer hesitation → slower turnover → renewed push” has rendered the old model unsustainable, as evidenced by a 12.3 % YoY sales decline during the 2026 Spring Festival, the traditional peak season.

Maotai’s User‑Centric Success

Maotai’s i‑Maotai platform, with over 90 million registered users by March 2026, illustrates how direct consumer engagement can stabilize pricing and curb channel losses. The platform integrates market‑price control, anti‑counterfeit measures, and a rich user‑data asset, allowing Maotai to maintain relatively stable wholesale prices despite industry‑wide price pressure.

Wuliangye’s Five‑Year Digital Evolution

Wuliangye’s digital transformation began in 2017 with a partnership with IBM, launching a full‑chain digital platform in 2019 that linked production codes to retail bottles, enabling end‑to‑end traceability. In 2020 the new‑retail management company was formed, scaling digital infrastructure across five key initiatives:

Integrating the core product “Pu‑Wu” across major e‑commerce platforms (Tmall, JD, Douyin) to centralize online channel control.

Launching the “Cloud Store” for seamless online‑offline interaction and contact‑free delivery.

Building “smart stores” with five‑fold empowerment (traffic, supply‑chain, operations, talent, tools).

Deploying a direct‑delivery pilot in 20 core markets to reduce distributor costs and improve placement accuracy.

Upgrading the membership system and digital club to accumulate consumer data for refined user operations.

Core Value of the New Digital Marketing Company

The newly formed company differs from the existing new‑retail entity: while the latter focuses on vertical ecosystem enablement and channel price governance, the digital marketing firm adds software development, data processing, AI‑driven insights, and advertising services. Its mission is not short‑term sales uplift but deep user‑value extraction through big‑data and AI, reshaping brand‑consumer and brand‑channel relationships.

Three primary functions will be delivered:

Full‑scope user operation system: Consolidate fragmented user data into a unified ID, enabling lifecycle management, personalized product recommendations, and higher brand loyalty.

Advanced channel digital control: Real‑time monitoring of inventory, price trends, and sales velocity using AI, allowing dynamic allocation, incentive differentiation, and mitigation of stockpiling, price‑inversion, and counterfeit risks.

Exporting digital marketing capabilities: Provide dealers and retail outlets with tools and consulting to improve efficiency and profitability, fostering a collaborative ecosystem.

Industry‑wide Implications

The Wuliangye case demonstrates that ToC transformation requires organizational restructuring, data‑driven decision making, and long‑term investment. Maotai’s four‑year journey to 90 million users and Wuliangye’s five‑year digital foundation illustrate that sustainable change cannot be achieved through superficial online channels alone; it demands a unified data middle‑platform, integrated membership assets, and a culture that prioritizes consumer sovereignty.

Key takeaways for liquor firms:

Establish an independent, professional ToC operating entity with clear autonomy.

Build a unified data hub to capture and analyze multi‑channel consumer behavior.

Commit to long‑term digital and user‑operation investments to accumulate data assets and operational expertise.

Conclusion

2026 is a pivotal node for the liquor industry’s transition from low‑quality, channel‑driven growth to high‑quality, consumer‑centric competition. Companies that swiftly construct comprehensive C‑end operating systems will secure strategic advantage, while those clinging to the legacy “channel‑first” model risk obsolescence.