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Château Margaux, a classified First Growth from Bordeaux, France, has set up a representative office in Hong Kong. Mr Thibault Pontallier has been appointed as its brand ambassador in Asia.
The company is enthusiastic about the Asian market and it is the first time in Château Margaux's history that a representative has been based abroad. This reflects the importance of the Chinese market for its business development. Mr Pontallier will seek to garner a better understanding of the Chinese market and its culture.
Mr Pontallier said, "As the trade and distribution hub of wine in Asia, the importance of Hong Kong is undoubted, particularly after the wine duty was abolished. Château Margaux's first representative office in Hong Kong and my relocation here certainly play a positive role in raising our brand profile in order to tap the Chinese market. I frequently travel between Hong Kong and the major Mainland cities. The decision to set up our Asian base in this city is easy: it's the strategic location in Asia and it has unparallelled connectivity to Mainland China."
"There is also a keen interest in food and wine in Hong Kong and Mainland China. The consumption of wine is massive and the development of the wine industry could be very promising. With its huge potential, China is probably Château Margaux's second market in terms of volume and may soon become the first," Mr Pontallier added.
Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion at Invest Hong Kong, Mr Andrew Davis, underscored the importance of Hong Kong as the regional hub for wine trading and distribution. He said, "Since the exemption of all local wine duties in February 2008, there has been a marked growth in wine consumption. The 2010 International Wine and Spirits Record showed that the annual per capita consumption among the legal drinking age stands at 3.6 litres, well ahead of both Japan and Singapore, which have a per capita consumption of 2.5 and 2.1 litres respectively."
"We warmly welcome Château Margaux to establish its business operations in our city. Its presence not only enriches the portfolio of our wine industry but also further enhances Hong Kong's position as a wine hub in Asia. May we wish Château Margaux every success in its business," Mr Davis said.
About Château Margaux
Established in the 12th century, Château Margaux currently produces three rare wines: Château Margaux, Pavillon Rouge and Pavillon Blanc. For more information, please visit www.chateau-margaux.com.
About Invest Hong Kong
Invest Hong Kong is the department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government established in July 2000 to take responsibility for Foreign Direct Investment and support overseas, Mainland and Taiwanese businesses to set up or expand in Hong Kong. It provides free advice and customised services to help businesses succeed in Hong Kong's vibrant economy. As it celebrates its 10th anniversary, Invest Hong Kong has completed over 2,000 investment projects creating over 25,000 new jobs in the first year of operation or expansion and HK$52 billion of investment. For more information, please visit www.investhk.gov.hk.
Ends/Thursday, August 5, 2010
Issued at HKT 16:01
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