Alibaba to offer Mondavi wines in China

Chinese e-commerce retail giant Alibaba will sell Robert Mondavi’s wines to its 376 million customers through its online store, Tmall.

China’s biggest online store, Tmall has joined forces with Constellation Brands Inc, owners of the Robert Mondavi portfolio which will see the Napa Valley wines available to its 376 million customers throughout China, reported Bloomberg.

To launch the “Tmall Vineyard Direct” project, Tmall will offer Robert Mondavi’s Napa Valley Wines, Private Selection, Twin Oaks and Woodbridge through the “Mondavi Flagship store” in a new move by Alibaba which will see wineries approaching the consumers directly.

“This exclusive flagship store on Tmall allows us to sell our wines to Chinese consumers in a marketplace which we believe will build our brand,” said Philip Kingston, senior vice president of Constellation Brands.

“It also strengthens our presence in China as we expect to benefit from Alibaba’s sophisticated data analytics capabilities and extensive customer insights.”

The Mondavi deal on Tmall will focuse on Mondavi’s medium-priced range – Twin Oaks and Woodbridge – as Chinese consumers seek less expensive brands as a result of the economic slowdown.

The Napa region has a high-profile Chinese ally in former National Basketball Association player Yao Ming, who started Yao Family Wines in 2011 after retiring which has helped raise its profile across China.