Kweichow Moutai

The first formal liquor production sites in the town of Maotai were established in 1599, during the Ming dynasty. The exact date is not known, but one source mentions a distilling workshop from that time.

In 1704, the earliest explicit record of Maotai was documented in a local newspaper, stating that 'Moutai Village in the west of the city ranks first in the whole country for making liquor.'

In 1854, during the Taiping Rebellion, the town of Maotai was destroyed and all of the distilleries were reduced to ruins or abandoned completely, impacting the production of Maotai.

In 1863, a salt merchant from a neighboring town bought one of the abandoned distilleries in Maotai, hired a retired master distiller, and resumed the production of Maotai in the newly founded 'Chengyi' distillery.

In 1879, three Renhuai landlords opened the 'Ronghe' distillery, contributing to the development of Maotai and finalizing many of the techniques and profiles of contemporary Maotai.

In 1915, Moutai gained international recognition by winning a gold medal at the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.

The Communist government consolidated local distilleries into one state-owned company, Kweichow Moutai, in 1949. The name 'Kweichow Moutai' is an old romanization of 'Guizhou Maotai'.

In 1951, Moutai was officially recognized as China's superior liquor, a prestigious title that highlighted its quality and significance in Chinese culture.

A single bottle of 1958 Moutai was recently auctioned for over $170,000, showcasing the high value and demand for this rare spirit.

In February 1972, US President Richard Nixon and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai toasted each other with Moutai at a banquet in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

During a state dinner in 1974, US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger suggested to Deng Xiaoping, the future Chinese leader, that drinking enough Moutai could solve anything. Deng responded by expressing the need to increase production of the beverage.

In 1985, Moutai achieved further international acclaim by winning a gold medal at the Paris International Exposition.

In 1986, Moutai continued its success by claiming another gold medal at the Paris International Exposition.

Even more recent distillations like the 1993 FeiTian bottling have fetched prices exceeding $4,000 per bottle, indicating the premium status of Moutai in the spirits market.

In 2001, Kweichow Moutai was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, which helped the company expand its presence in Chinese markets and beyond, gaining global recognition and setting the stage for future growth.

For over 20 years since its establishment, Kweichow Moutai has experienced steady growth in revenue and profits, consistently expanding its business operations and market presence.

Xian Li invested more than 136,000 yuan (about $21,000) into Kweichow Moutai stock in 2004. The investment paid off well, allowing him to put his son through university.

In 2013, Moutai was used during the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Barack Obama in California.

Since 2015, Moutai has actively integrated into the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to expand its market and contribute to China's economy.

In 2017, Kweichow Moutai surpassed the British multi-national spirits conglomerate Diageo, becoming the most valuable spirits brand globally.

On October 29, 2018, bottles of Kweichow Moutai liquor were available for purchase at a store in Anyang city, Henan province, China.

In 2018, a baijiu college was established in Sichuan province with the goal of training sommeliers specialized in baijiu, as part of the effort to promote Chinese culture abroad.

During the opening of Costco in China in 2019, the fiery and throat-tingling liquor Kweichow Moutai was a big hit, despite its high price. The luxury spirit, beloved in China, sold out quickly at a discounted rate compared to other sellers.

In March 2020, the company launched a social media campaign called 'stay at home with Moutai,' encouraging global users to experiment with new recipes during lockdown. The campaign aimed to engage international consumers amidst the pandemic by suggesting various drink and food pairings.

In June 2020, 800 drones performed in teams in the night sky to create a 'Moutai wine bottle' pattern in Renhuai, Guizhou, China. The spectacular display showcased the innovative use of technology in promoting the famous Moutai baijiu.

In November 2020, a worker was photographed at a Moutai distillery in Maotai, China. The distillery is known for producing baijiu, a liquor distilled from fermented sorghum and rice.

Moutai, originally used by members of the Red Army as anesthesia due to lack of proper medical supplies, is now considered a luxury item and investment opportunity. Limited-edition cases can be sold for over $40,000 each.

Moutai officially launched an online direct-to-consumer channel called iMoutai to make some of its liquor products more accessible. The app quickly became the most downloaded app on the Apple store within a day of its launch, showcasing the brand's large fan base.

The stock price of the company has grown to over 1,700 RMB per share as of May 2023.

Moutai is now available in more than 100 countries and regions worldwide, showcasing its global reach and popularity.

MarketScreener predicts that Kweichow Maotai will reach nearly 200 billion in revenue by 2025 based on current data provided by the company.