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Taiwan: State-owned Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Co will focus on beer instead of rice wine in its new export drive. The Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor Co is seeking new sales agents in the US as part of its efforts to expand its global market share, a senior executive of the state-owned company said on September 12, according to local media. TTL chairman Huang Ying-shan said the company intends to sign up different distribution agents on the US east and west coasts with a view to increasing its penetration of the vast US market.

For years, TTL has only had one sales agent in the US, with rice wine and Shaohing wine as its main sales items. The contract expires at the end of the year. "With a view to enhancing our market share in the US, we're adopting a new strategy of contracting new distribution agents on the US east and west coasts," Huang said, adding that Taiwan Beer will replace rice wine as the focus of the company's new promotional blitz.

Given Taiwan Beer's high level of popularity, Huang said he is confident that company's sales in the US will increase under its new business strategy. "We have set a new development goal for the future -- namely, wherever there are ethnic Chinese, there will be Taiwan Beer," Huang said confidently.

Huang said TTL has stepped up its global market development efforts. In addition to establishing new footholds in the Philippines and Cambodia, the company has stepped up its onslaught into the in-flight and airport duty-free shop markets.


15 September, 2004