Wuliangye, China’s second biggest baijiu brand, has gained distribution in Malaysia as it pushes for international acclaim.

The distillery, based in China’s Sichuan province, has appointed distributor Luen Heng F&B Sdn Bhd as its official partner in Malaysia.

The Chinese brand announced the new deal at an event hosted at hotel EQ Kuala Lumpur, where Wuliangye baijiu was served with cocktails, ice cream and coffee.

According to The Star (Malaysia), Luen Heng F&B managing director Datuk Kenneth Soh said: “We are honoured to become Wuliangye’s official distributor in Malaysia. We believe that with Wuliangye’s exceptional quality and rich cultural heritage, we can work together to explore a vast market.”

Wuliangye’s decision to secure a local distributor in the country, the population of which is 20.6% Chinese, is just the latest in a series of moves designed to boost international recognition of the brand, and the baijiu category as a whole.

Wuliangye recently signed a two-year global partnership deal with The Michelin Guide, as reported by the drinks business. The global deal builds on a previous partnership between the two companies in China, and will involve professional masterclasses and influencers dinners with a number of sommeliers and chefs running Michelin-starred restaurants.

The baijiu brand, estimated to be worth the equivalent of £8.9 billion in 2023, according to Statista, has honed in on Europe with its latest ‘Harmony Global Tour’.

Wuliangye and Italian spirits group Campari have collaborated on the ‘Wugroni’, a twist on a Negroni using baijiu as the base alcohol, to promote the Chinese spirit in Europe. The brand has also collaborated with Italian luxury fashion brand Bulgari and private design school Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) to boost its international profile.

In France, the Chinese baijiu maker held a China-France art works exhibition at the museum of decorative arts (Musée des Arts Décoratifs) on the west wing of the Louvre Museum in Paris to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France and the year of China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.

According to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis, baijiu accounts for more than 95% of spirits consumption in its home country. However, baijiu sales declined by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10% between 2017 and 2022, with a 4% drop predicted for 2022-2027. As consumption among Chinese consumers weakens, Wuliangye is tapping into global markets to tip the scales.