Zunyi, China – October 23, 2026 – The World Famous Liquor Brands Sustainability Index Report (2026) (hereinafter referred to as the “Report”), compiled by the Xinhua Index Research Institute, was officially released at the 2026 Chishui River Forum on October 17. The Report finds that the 30 representative liquor and wine brands worldwide demonstrate a development profile characterized by “solid foundations in quality and brand visibility, alongside divergent business momentum.” Quality and visibility are relatively strong across the index, while momentum still has considerable room for improvement. In particular, differences in business resilience are a key factor distinguishing the overall development performance of leading liquor and wine brands.
Pictured: Cao Zhanzhong, Executive Director of Xinhua Index Research Institute, interprets the report findings.
Quality and Visibility Jointly Underpin the Strong Performance of Leading Brands
Based on the index results, the Report classifies the 30 representative liquor and wine brands worldwide into four tiers: Leading, Resonating, Established and Emerging. Brands in the Leading tier account for 20% of the total sample. The study finds that these brands generally combine substantial long-term asset accumulation with strong market influence. Their leadership is not attributable to any single competitive advantage, but rather to years of accumulated strengths in regional ecosystems, product identity, and brewing traditions and culture, together with effective synergies between brand visibility and market recognition.
Distilled Spirits and Fermented Beverages Converge in Overall Development, While Internationalization Shifts from Broad Reach to Deeper Market Engagement
In assessing quality, the Report focuses on product quality and heritage, ecological resources, and international expansion. For momentum and visibility, it examines business momentum and brand influence, respectively. It also provides an in-depth assessment of the sustainability capabilities of distilled spirits, fermented beverages and blended alcoholic beverages.
The findings show that distilled spirits and fermented beverages are broadly converging in their overall level of development, although their underlying strengths differ markedly. Distilled spirits perform particularly well in quality-related indicators, including recognition of legally protected production-area designations and the preservation of traditional brewing techniques through continued practice. They build competitive “moats” by drawing deeply on terroir, history and traditional craftsmanship. Fermented beverages, meanwhile, have an edge in developing global operating systems and stand out for their ability to translate international market presence into tangible results.
Strengthening Foundations in Quality and Culture: China’s Baijiu Industry Must Turn Accumulated Strengths into Tangible Results
The Report maps the overall capabilities of 30 representative liquor and wine brands worldwide. Data from the 20 indicators of the World Famous Liquor Brands Sustainability Index show that the global liquor and wine industry has reached a relatively mature stage in areas such as brand market positioning, the resilience of core production assets, waste recovery and resource utilization, and professional quality certification.
However, strengthening business growth momentum, improving conversion in international markets, and ensuring the continued practice and transmission of intangible cultural heritage remain common challenges for the industry. For China’s baijiu sector in particular, the next step is to build on its accumulated strengths in quality and cultural heritage and translate them into tangible development outcomes.
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