International Distillers and Vintners (IDV), the drinks operation owned by British food and beverage giant Grand Metropolitan, will make Smirnoff vodka and Gilbey's gin in China.
Through a US$27 million joint venture with QuFu Distillery, the state-owned enterprise which produces the Confucius Family Liquor brand, the new firm, QuFu Shenying International Distillers, will take advantage of the recent deregulation of the distribution monopoly held by the state-owned sugar, tobacco and wine wholesalers.
The firm said it planned to produce, market, sell and distribute IDV's brands.
Due to start output in November at the QuFu Distillery, distribution would be carried out by the distillery's own nationwide network, which was strong on the eastern coast and the main cities, Grand Metropolitan said.
Other IDV brands will be produced by the plant later.
Brands imported into China include Bailey's, J&B Rare and J&B JET, Malibu, Metaxa, Cinzano vermouth, Dunhill Scotch Whiskey and Dunhill Cognac.
