East Meets West in Spirits: Campari and Wuliangye’s Groundbreaking Collaboration
Campari Group and Wuliangye Forge a New Alliance
On 22 November, a significant partnership emerged as Campari Group and Wuliangye Group signed a memorandum of understanding. This landmark agreement paves the way for mutual collaboration in channel expansion, market cooperation, and brand culture promotion, both in China and on a global scale.
During the signing ceremony, Bob Kunze-Concewitz, the outgoing CEO of Campari Group, underscored the strategic importance of the Chinese market in their global vision. The collaboration aims to merge Eastern and Western liquor traditions, showcasing Campari’s diverse Western spirits portfolio alongside Wuliangye’s renowned leadership in baijiu.
The partnership’s goal is to acquaint consumers with spirits from varied cultural backgrounds and to co-create products tailored for diverse occasions. Zeng Congqin, secretary and chairman of the party committee of Wuliangye Group, hailed this cooperation as a “breakthrough in product innovation” between two global spirits giants.
A notable milestone in this partnership occurred in September 2023 with the launch of the Wugroni cocktail in Shanghai. This innovative drink is a creative spin on the classic Negroni, blending Campari and Cinzano Vermouth Rosso with a specially crafted 40% ABV Wuliangye Baijiu blend, a joint creation of both companies. The Wugroni symbolizes the harmonious fusion of Chinese and Western cultures, marking the beginning of a promising partnership between Campari and Wuliangye.
This collaboration isn’t Campari Group’s first venture with a Chinese baijiu producer. In November 2019, French spirits company Pernod Ricard also signed a memorandum of understanding with Wuliangye, aiming to enhance its presence across Asia.