USA & China: Craft Beer to be Exported to Mainland China

The Brewers Association Export Development Program in partnership with American Craft Beer Partners (Pittsburgh, Penn.) announced on December 18, the first, to their knowledge, mixed container shipment of American craft beers to mainland China.

An assortment of award winning American craft beers from Rogue Ales Brewery (OR), Brooklyn Brewery (NY) and North Coast Brewing Co. (CA) beers are being shipped on a container from Seattle in mid-December to Shanghai, China.

This shipment is a culmination of a three-year effort consisting of market research into opportunities for US craft beer in China and reverse trade missions to the US by leading Chinese beer distributors. Funds for this work came in large part from the United States Department of Agriculture's Emerging Markets Program.

The beer will be available in early January at high-end bars and restaurants in Shanghai at a range of 35 RMB ($4.50) to 55 RMB ($7.00) per bottle.

American Craft Beer Partners is working on agreements with on and off-premise accounts to order larger volumes if sales targets for the first shipment are met and distribution goes as planned American Craft Beer Partners looks forward to exporting additional containers to China soon.

20 December, 2006