Our regular feature, brought to you in association with Strange Nature gin from New Zealand, celebrates memorable scenes, moments, launches and campaigns related to the global aviation and travel retail sphere.
CHINA. Today’s choice portrays one of the most remarkable brand collaborations of recent times, and one that shapes as potentially among the most successful.
This week saw the launch of Moutai Latte (酱香拿铁), a partnership between revered Chinese baijiu brand Kweichow Moutai and domestic coffee chain Luckin Coffee.
According to our content partner Jing Daily, the collaboration was an instant hit, with long queues forming outside the 10,000-plus Luckin coffee shops distributed across China, and several related hashtags topping Weibo’s Hot List.
The Luckin Coffee Real Moutai (瑞幸 真茅台) hashtag amassed over 120 million views on the platform in less than two days, Jing Daily reported.
Moutai Latte is made with liquor-flavored milk containing Kweichow Moutai (famed for its ‘fragrant sauce’ aroma) with an alcohol content of just 0.50 percent. A cup costs RMB38 (US$5.30) and if paired with coupons around RMB19 (US$2.60).
As Jing Daily China and Beauty correspondent Lisa Nan notes, the alliance represents an innovative way for the state-owned Kweichow Moutai Company to reach beyond its traditional audience of middle-aged and older men.
Many young Chinese are rejecting baijiu while coffee gains extraordinary traction among such consumers. Luckin Coffee has both driven and benefited from that surging popularity. In its second quarter ended 30 June, total net revenues surged +88% year-on-year to RMB6,201.4 million (US$855.2 million) while, extraordinarily, it opened 1,485 new stores to bring its total number of outlets to 10,836 (7,188 self-operated and 3,648 in partnership).
This is the second such targeted initiative by Kweichow Moutai in recent times. Last year it launched Moutai ice cream, available in 14 flavours including matcha, chocolate and green plum.
“Through the partnership with Luckin Coffee, Moutai is using a fresh way to popularise its product’s taste and brand among China’s younger demographic. More than a PR stunt, the collaboration is a shrewd strategy for Moutai to lay the foundation for future sales,” Nan writes.
Travellers should get the chance to try 瑞幸 真茅台 soon. Luckin Coffee has several airport outlets across China, including Shanghai Hongqiao International, which as reported has created a ‘coffee culture circle’ to tap into the beverage’s booming popularity. The brand opened at Jewel Changi Airport in July. 
