The Chinese baijiu market has long relied on a channel‑driven B2B model that inflates sales through stockpiling, but rising consumer demand for personalized experiences and the rise of digital tools make a shift to B2C the only viable path, with 2026 poised as the breakout year.
The article analyzes how China’s fast‑moving consumer goods market has moved from an incremental growth phase to a stock‑competition phase, exposing the structural flaws of deep distribution and proposing a full‑domain fan‑sales model—centered on users, digital foundations, and ecosystem collaboration—to achieve sustainable growth.
The Chinese baijiu industry is moving from a channel‑centric, large‑event model to a consumer‑centric, small‑scenario strategy, driven by digital infrastructure, changing demographics, and a focus on everyday micro‑drinking experiences, reshaping product‑consumer connections and creating new growth opportunities.
The post‑pandemic market shows a paradox of overall sales warming while individual retailers face tighter margins, as digital tools make price comparison easier, consumers become more selective, and purchasing power concentrates on well‑known brands, turning recovery into a focused, data‑driven process.
A McKinsey study of 18 countries and over 25,000 consumers uncovers five post‑pandemic trends—more solo online time, distrust of social media, Gen Z’s splurge habits, rising love for local brands, and a new value equation—offering actionable insights for brands navigating 2025.
In this keynote, Google’s Daniel Alegre explains how the shift of economic power to Asia, the rise of new mobile‑first consumers, and the convergence of mobile, connectivity, and machine learning are reshaping global business strategies and driving rapid digital transformation.
