Moutai ventures into creating an ice cream brand
China’s well-known baijiu brand, Moutai, has created an ice cream brand by opening its first ice cream parlor in Guizhou province.
The official opening of the ice cream parlor took place on May 29 in the lobby of the Moutai International Hotel in Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, where the Moutai Group is also headquartered.
According to reports the ice cream parlor will feature 14 flavors of Moutai-infused ice cream, such as Matcha, chocolate or green plum. Prices range from $6 to $15 per serving. For now there is talk of two flavors available, the original Moutai ice cream and vanilla Moutai ice cream.
Many people have already sampled the new ice cream which they describe as having “a slight Moutai flavor,” something that is sure to delight familiar consumers of the brand.
Although in China the Haagen-Dazs brand is very well established, possibly the most famous in China, Moutai has decided to sell its ice cream more expensive than the Dutch brand, with the advantage that Moutai ice cream will only be found in its store, while Haagen Dazs offers distribution options through cold chains.
Heart-shaped ice cream products for sale at the new Moutai ice cream shop. -VCG/Getty Images
“It looks like Moutai ice cream will become a stir. I can’t afford liquor, but I can definitely afford ice cream. I must try it sometime,” reads a post on China’s microblogging platform, Weibo.
The brand’s foray into ice cream has sparked delight and debate. A hashtag that translates as “Moutai ice cream costs 39 yuan per serving” has racked up more than 180 million views on Weibo.
Jointly produced by Kweichow Moutai Group and one of China’s largest dairy companies, Mengniu Dairy, the ice cream is made up of 50 grams of Moutai per kilogram of milk, customer service staff at the International Hotel told local media.
Because it contains an alcohol concentration of 3%, the research and development team advises consumers not to drive after eating it and minors are not allowed to buy it.
The Moutai brand hopes to penetrate a younger market by launching its first ice cream parlor, selling sweets infused with the liquor.
Indeed the company is struggling to broaden its customer base beyond middle-aged and older drinkers. Traditional distillers are also under pressure from the growing popularity of whiskey and other Western spirits.
Photo by Courtney Cook on Unsplash
Ice cream, a sweet well known to the Chinese
As far back as 4,000 years ago, the Chinese were already enjoying a kind of icy syrup to refresh themselves.
According to National Geographic, 4,000 years ago, the Chinese were already enjoying a kind of frozen syrup. Centuries later, around 400 B.C., sharbat became a popular treat in Persia. The drink includes cherry, quince and pomegranate syrups, which were formerly cooled with snow. The modern words “sherbet”, “sherbet” and “syrup” have their linguistic origin in the word sharbat.
These ancestors of modern ice cream could not have been enjoyed without snow from mountainous regions and frozen rivers or lakes. After collecting the cold products, handlers packed them with straw and twigs to reduce the rate of melting when transporting them from the mountains to urban areas.
Ice and snow were stored in cold rooms created by different civilizations, always with the same idea in mind: these places had to be free of heat and light. In deep pits, the ice was insulated with straw or sawdust to keep it warm.
Thanks to social changes, the varieties and flavors of sherbets are increasing.
The improvement of the Chinese people’s standard of living is multiplying and personalizing the increase in consumption. A simple dessert like ice cream can no longer satisfy Chinese taste buds. Nowadays, there are more and more original ice creams. With original taste and exciting appearance, a variety of ice cream allows fans of this dessert to enjoy it at will.
Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.
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