On October 22, the third session of the National Liquor Standardization Technical Committee established its Sub-Technical Committee for Fragrant Liquor in Chengdu, holding its inaugural meeting. During the meeting, an announcement from the National Standardization Administration concerning the renewal of 15 technical committees, including the National Liquor Standardization Technical Committee, was read aloud. Zeng Congqin, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Wuliangye Group, was appointed as the Chair of the Fragrant Liquor Sub-Technical Committee. Yang Yunxia, Chief Engineer and Food Safety Director of Yibin Wuliangye Co., Ltd., was named Secretary-General, with Wuliangye Group serving as the secretariat.
The Fragrant Liquor Sub-Technical Committee, approved by the State Council’s standardization administration, operates as a non-legal entity focused on drafting national standards and technical reviews, making it a pivotal component of China’s liquor standard system. Since its inception in 2008, the first Fragrant Liquor Committee has played a significant role in furthering foundational research, standard development and revision, and the dissemination of standards-related information for fragrant liquor. The secretariat is based at Wuliangye Group, leveraging its research and quality management platforms to participate in national, industry, and local standardization efforts, promoting technological innovation and sustainable development in the liquor sector.
Standards serve as the technical foundation for economic activities and social advancement, and they are crucial for modernizing the liquor industry. Song Shuyu, Chairman of the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, emphasized that the product standards for fragrant liquor are among the earliest established within China’s liquor product standards system, representing the largest market share in the industry with the most renowned brands and enterprises. He noted that developing a standardized system for fragrant liquor profoundly impacts both the national and overall Chinese liquor standard systems.
Diao Yonghui, a researcher from the National Market Supervision Administration’s Department of Standards Technical Management, reiterated that progress in standardization significantly enhances product quality control for fragrant liquor, boosts brand value, and increases consumer trust, ultimately fostering a healthy and regulated industry.
Zeng Congqin remarked that as “value-to-price ratio” becomes the new trend, standardization continues to play a foundational and leading role. He underscored the need for fragrant liquor to proactively adapt to industry developments, starting from top-level planning and focusing on a set of quality measures to strengthen and refine the value expression, quality standards, quality management, technological innovation, and talent systems within the fragrant liquor sector, thereby guiding the construction of a new high-quality development order for the industry.
Leveraging Wuliangye’s extensive experience in liquor technical research and management practices, the Fragrant Liquor Sub-Technical Committee has been actively involved in the drafting and revision of national standards such as GB/T10345-2022 “Analysis Methods for Liquor” and GB/T10346-2023 “Examination Rules for Liquor,” along with industry standards like QB/T5711-2022 “Quality Safety Traceability System for Liquor.” Additionally, it has led the development and revision of local standards like DB5115/T26-2020 “Technical Specifications for the Procurement and Inspection of Yibin Specialty Grain.” These efforts collectively enhance the comprehensive standard system spanning raw materials, inspection, and transportation processes for the fragrant liquor industry, providing essential technical support and a practical foundation for quality management.
During the meeting, a signing ceremony for the “Standardization Capacity Building and Services for the Fragrant Liquor Sub-Committee” project was held. According to the project agreement, the newly established committee plans to systematically construct and refine the fragrant liquor standard system, aligning with the National Liquor Standardization Committee’s perspective on consumer-oriented quality expression. This involves initiating revisions to the “Fragrant Liquor” standards and undertaking comprehensive technical research across multiple dimensions, including micro-ecology, sensory aspects, and flavor profiles, to effectively integrate research outcomes and technological advancements in the industry.
Zeng Congqin expressed that Wuliangye, as the secretariat for this session of the Fragrant Liquor Sub-Committee, is committed to advancing its capacity building, standardization efforts, and technical research. With these higher standards, the goal is to propel fragrant liquor forward and help reshape the landscape of the Chinese liquor industry.
