Santa Rita partners with COFCO to expand China market

South America’s leading winery Santa Rita Estates has entered a partnership with China’s top wine importer COFCO to distribute its Santa Rita brand in the wholesale channel throughout Mainland China.

The deal is expected to “significantly bolster” Santa Rita’s sales, the winery CEO Andres Lavados affirms, noting that China has become the largest export market for bottled Chilean wines in 2016.

“Viña Santa Rita has enjoyed a steady growth in the Asian market, but working together we aim to significantly bolster our sales and capitalise on the many opportunities available in this fast-paced market,” says Lavados.

“The association with China’s leading premium wine distributor aligns to our goal of establishing Santa Rita as a major, relevant consumer wine brand, as reflected in the recent partnership agreement made between Santa Rita 120 and Arsenal Football Club.”

COFCO, which distributes premium wine brands including Penfolds, Antinori and Faustino, is hoping the partnership would turn Santa Rita into “the number one selling Chilean wine brand in the Chinese market,” comments Castle Li, general manager of COFCO W&W International Co. Ltd, a division of COFCO group that overseas COFCO’s imported wines and spirits business. Other Chilean wines on its portfolio include Viña Maipo and Pangea.

“We are confident that through our extensive national distribution network as well as through localised marketing Santa Rita will become the number one selling Chilean wine brand in the Chinese market.”

“The partnership with Santa Rita also fulfills a long held ambition of COFCO W&W to work with a leader in the Chilean wine category. Our ultimate aim is to unite Eastern and Western culture through awarding-winning top class international wines.”

COFCO, a leading Chinese importer of wines and spirits, also owns two wineries – the domestic estate Great Wall and Bordeaux’s Château de Viaud in Lalande-de-Pomerol.