Maotai and Wuliangye had recently appeared on the Hurun luxury goods list. However, they also had doubts in addition to applause. Some people even suggested that public funds should ban drinking Maotai.

When maotai entered the luxury market, the retail price of flying maotai at 53 degrees exceeded 2,000 yuan. Some netizens said that according to its semi-annual report, its cost was calculated to be only 40 yuan. Despite the fact that the data was yet to be verified, it still caused many Maotai Controls to make eye contact. Where did the huge profits go?

"Daily Economic News" reporter found in the market survey, 53-degree flying Maotai retail price can be described as squandering for fascinating eyes. In Chengdu, the retail price difference of this Moutai is up to more than a thousand dollars, and the highest price on the market has exceeded 2100 yuan/bottle. One of the important reasons Maotai was able to list luxury goods was its high selling price and its special customer base. However, the price of up to RMB 2,000 was more than double the ex-factory price of 53-degree flying Maotai. Whose pocket is this huge difference?

Senior liquor marketing expert Shu Guohua said in an interview with the reporter of “Daily Economic News” on January 16th that at present Maotai’s luxury and harm are more than benefits. Maotai's chaotic retail prices reflect, to a certain extent, Maotai's poor control over retail channels. At present, the ex-factory price of 53-degree flying maotai is 619 yuan per bottle, while the retail price in the market is around 2,000 yuan, and profits of more than 1,000 yuan have already entered the pockets of channel providers.

In response, reporters tried to interview several Moutai channel providers to learn more about this, and they were reluctant to talk about it.

Yesterday (January 17), the reporter of “Daily Economic News” repeatedly called Mao Ning’s secret secretary Fan Ningping, but the phone has not been answered. On the morning of January 16, the reporter called Ye Yuanming, the Minister of Propaganda Department of Guizhou Maotai Group. He said, “Now I am in a meeting and I cannot answer your questions.”

Maotai's Advantages and Disadvantages In recent days, Hurun released the “China Ten Thousands of Rich Brand Trends Report”. Maotai, Wuliangye and Louis Vuitton, Hermès, BMW and other well-known brands also appeared in “2012 Hurun Global's Top 10 Most Valuable Luxury. Brand Rankings". This is the first time that Chinese domestic brands have entered Hurun's "luxury list."

According to reports, on the rankings, Maotai has become the world’s fourth most valuable luxury brand with US$12 billion worth of brand value. The top three are US$20.5 billion in Louis Vuitton, US$14.5 billion in Hermes and US$13 billion in value. For BMW, for the same category of goods, Maotai brand value ranks first in the beverage industry. Brand value exceeds Hennessy, Moet & Chandon, and Remy Martin. Wuliangye also ranked seventh with US$7 billion. At the same time, Maotai ranked fifth on the “Top Ten Gift Cards Most Popularized by the Regal”.

“Maotai has become a luxury brand and is inextricably linked to the characteristics and market conditions of its products.” Jian Aihua, a food industry researcher with CIC Advisors, said in an interview with the “Daily Economic News” reporter. On the one hand, the liquor making process is more complex and Limited production, coupled with the influence of traditional Chinese banquet culture, has led liquor to become a symbol of identity, taste, and status. This is a typical feature of luxury goods; on the other hand, market demand continues to grow and supply is limited. , This keeps its market heat rising and the price rises, entering the ranks of luxury goods.

Why Moutai can be extravagant? Hurun revealed to the media that among the similar products, Maotai had the highest selling price, and people who consumed Maotai had limitations and ordinary people could not afford it. In addition, the scarcity of Maotai also had the attributes of luxury goods.

However, there are also views that do not favor Maotai luxury. “At present, Maotai’s entry into the luxury market is more harmful than profits.” Shu Guohua said that at present, people’s congress deputies have already proposed to explicitly prohibit the consumption of Maotai in the consumption of public funds.

Zhou Siran, a food industry researcher at China Investment Advisors, also agreed with Shu Guohua. Zhou Siran said that Maotai had entered the luxury goods list and was incompatible with Maotai’s declared mass consumer goods, causing ordinary consumers to distance themselves from the brand again, which is not conducive to the development of Maotai series of wines. At the same time, in the context of the country’s efforts to curb corruption and reduce government spending, luxury identity will affect its sales to some extent.

It is worth noting that, at the end of last year, in the “Regulations on the Administration of Organs Affairs” (Draft for Soliciting Opinions) of the State Council’s legal office cloth, the various government departments were explicitly required to “not purchase luxury goods”.

Who is enjoying a huge price difference?

The soaring price is an important driving force for Maotai to wear extravagant hats. In front of a high-end liquor counter at a large supermarket on the Main Street of Chengdu City, people who came to buy white wine continued to flow. The retail price of 53 degrees Maotai had jumped to 2,180 yuan/bottle.

“The price is too high, too, and it is not our working class that can afford it.” Mr. Wang who came to buy white wine can only look at wine.

"53 degrees flying Maotai ex-factory price of 619 yuan per bottle it? Your retail price is too high, right?" The reporter asked, a Maotai salesman said that the supermarket's purchase price is much higher than this, but she refused to disclose Purchase channels.

"Daily Economic News" reporter visited a number of liquor supermarket chains in Chengdu and found that most of the 53-degree flying Maotai retail prices are close to 2,000 yuan/bottle.

How high is the cost of 53-degree flying Maotai? Who is sharing these huge profits?

What attracts people's attention is that when maotai enters extravagance, the 53-degree flying maotai retail price exceeds 2,000 yuan, and some netizens claim that its cost is only 40 yuan according to its semi-annual report, causing many Maotai Controls to make eye contact. "Yangtze Evening News" calculated according to the data published in the Kweichow Moutai mid-2011 report that the operating cost per bottle was only about 40 yuan. However, some experts pointed out that this method of measurement is not necessarily accurate.

“At present, the ex-factory price of 53-degree flying maotai is 619 yuan per bottle, while the retail price in the market is around 2,000 yuan. There is more than 1,000 yuan in profit into the pockets of channel providers.” Shu Guohua said that the liquor marketing model led to layers. With the phenomenon of layer-ups, channel providers have become important drivers of soaring Moutai prices.

It is understood that most of the liquor companies are divided into four levels of agency model, that is, the national total generation, provincial generation, and municipal retail sales. On the basis of the ex-factory price, each agency will draw 10% or more of profits.

“Maotai is facing a dilemma.” Shu Guohua analyzed that if prices are raised further, it may further push up terminal prices. This will not only become a target of public criticism, but will also face the predicament of consumer loss and growth being overdrawn; without raising prices, a lot of profits will remain. For distributors, it is not easy for the shareholders of listed companies to explain.

Shu Guohua said that the real problem Moutai faces is the poor control of the terminal.

The reporter tried to interview several Moutai channel providers to learn more about the details. They were reluctant to talk about this.

In January this year, a research report issued by the Bank of China International stated that it is expected that the number of Maotai Direct Stores in 2012 will increase significantly, giving priority to the capital cities. The popularity of self-operated stores is conducive to the standardization of image display, which will help increase price transparency, help regulate market prices and stabilize market price expectations, and will help the steady development of the high-end liquor market.

Maotai also afraid of the deep alley?

The wine is also afraid of the deep alley? Public reports show that Maotai Hao throws more than 400 million yuan in 2012 CCTV advertising "standard king." With the limelight, "Why don't you sell Maotai"?

In response, Jane Aihua told the reporter of the “Daily Economic News” that the value-added of Moutai products is high, and maintaining such brand added value still requires constant promotion of advertising. This not only demonstrates the strength of the company, but also conveys the good development of the company. The market signal of the prospects has reached the goal of attracting investors' capital injections, and it has maintained its original brand status through advertising marketing, and at the same time it has continuously increased its added value to become a real luxury product.

"The status of Maotai's boss is not very stable." Shu Guohua said that both Wuliangye and the recent strong rise of the Yanghe River had a certain impact on the status of Maotai. Maotai must have been deeply aware of this, and this time it has seized “standard king” and hopes to use the spread of mainstream media to keep its brand fresh and consolidate its status as the “boss” of the industry.

In the third quarter of 2011, the performance report of liquor listed companies showed that from January to September this year, Wuliangye and Maotai ranked first two in the performance of listed companies with operating revenue of 15.649 billion yuan and 13.642 billion yuan respectively. From the operating income point of view, Wuliangye has exceeded Moutai. The Yanghe River is closely followed by operating income of 9.328 billion yuan, an increase of 74.6%, its net profit increased by 92.4% to 3.031 billion yuan, ranking third in listed companies; Luzhou Laojiao ranked fourth, this year 1 ~ In September, operating income and net profit were 5.628 billion yuan and 2.113 billion yuan, respectively, an increase of 49.48% and 30% year-on-year respectively.