Brand Finance logo

China's spirits soar: Moutai & Wuliangye reign as the world’s top two most valuable spirits brands

24 July 2024
Jump to Media Downloads

A new Brand Finance report reveals that Moutai’s brand value sits at USD50.1 billion

  • Moutai and Wuliangye retain the titles of the world’s top two most valuable spirits brands. China’s Luzhou Laojiao ranks third
  • Wuliangye and Moutai also top the ranking for brand strength globally in the sector
  • Jim Beam records double-digit brand value growth. Jägermeister and Martini are the second and third fastest growing brands.
  • Moutai has highest Sustainability Perceptions Value at USD5.9 billion

LONDON, 24th July 2024 – Elite baijiu brand Moutai (brand value up 1% to USD50.1 billion) extends its reign as the world's most valuable spirits brand for the ninth consecutive year, according to a new report by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Wuliangye (brand value down 15% to USD25.9 billion) and Luzhou Laojiao (brand value up 6% to USD8.2 billion) sit in second and third.

Wuliangye is now the world's strongest spirits brand, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 90.7 of 100, earning an impressive AAA+ rating. Moutai, with a BSI of 89.9 of 100, also scores the top tier AAA+ brand strength rating.  

American bourbon whiskey brand, Jim Beam (brand value up 83% to USD539 million) is the world’s fastest growing spirits brand. The brand’s massive surge in brand value has seen it jump 24 spots to 42nd. Germany’s Jägermeister (brand value up 38% to USD914 million) and Italy’s Martini (brand value up 23% to USD586 million) have also recorded solid brand value growth.

“The strategic manoeuvres of Moutai, Wuliangye, and Luzhou Laojiao exemplify why they lead the global spirits industry. Whether it’s Moutai’s younger audience-targeted campaigns, Wuliangye’s e-commerce advancements, or Luzhou Laojiao’s prestigious sponsorships, these brands are not just maintaining their positions —they are revolutionising the market."

Henry Farr, Director, Brand Finance

Brand Finance also utilises its Global Brand Equity Monitor (GBEM) research to compile a Sustainability Perceptions Index. The 2024 Sustainability Perceptions Index finds that in the spirits sector, Moutai leads with the highest Sustainability Perceptions Value of USD5.9 billion.

Media Downloads

These images may be downloaded and used for publication. Please attribute to Brand Finance.
Copyright © 2024 Brand Finance. All rights reserved.

Media Contacts

Penny Erricker
Senior Communications Executive
Brand Finance

About Brand Finance

Brand Finance is the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy. Bridging the gap between marketing and finance for more than 25 years, Brand Finance evaluates the strength of brands and quantifies their financial value to help organizations of all kinds make strategic decisions.

Headquartered in London, Brand Finance has offices in over 20 countries, offering services on all continents. Every year, Brand Finance conducts more than 5,000 brand valuations, supported by original market research, and publishes over 100 reports which rank brands across all sectors and countries.

Brand Finance also operates the Global Brand Equity Monitor, conducting original market research annually on over 5,000 brands, surveying more than 150,000 respondents across 38 countries and 31 industry sectors. Combining perceptual data from the Global Brand Equity Monitor with data from its valuation database enables Brand Finance to arm brand leaders with the data and analytics they need to enhance brand and business value.

Brand Finance is a regulated accountancy firm, leading the standardization of the brand valuation industry. Brand Finance was the first to be certified by independent auditors as compliant with both ISO 10668 and ISO 20671 and has received the official endorsement of the Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB) in the United States.

Definition of Brand

Brand is defined as a marketing-related intangible asset including, but not limited to, names, terms, signs, symbols, logos, and designs, intended to identify goods, services, or entities, creating distinctive images and associations in the minds of stakeholders, thereby generating economic benefits.

Brand Strength

Brand strength is the efficacy of a brand’s performance on intangible measures relative to its competitors. Brand Finance evaluates brand strength in a process compliant with ISO 20671, looking at Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and the impact of those on Business Performance. The data used is derived from Brand Finance’s proprietary market research programme and from publicly available sources.

Each brand is assigned a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score out of 100, which feeds into the brand value calculation. Based on the score, each brand is assigned a corresponding Brand Rating up to AAA+ in a format similar to a credit rating.

Brand Valuation Approach

Brand Finance calculates the values of brands in its rankings using the Royalty Relief approach – a brand valuation method compliant with the industry standards set in ISO 10668. It involves estimating the likely future revenues that are attributable to a brand by calculating a royalty rate that would be charged for its use, to arrive at a ‘brand value’ understood as a net economic benefit that a brand owner would achieve by licensing the brand in the open market.

The steps in this process are as follows:

1 Calculate brand strength using a balanced scorecard of metrics assessing Marketing Investment, Stakeholder Equity, and Business Performance. Brand strength is expressed as a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score on a scale of 0 to 100.

2 Determine royalty range for each industry, reflecting the importance of brand to purchasing decisions. In luxury, the maximum percentage is high, while in extractive industry, where goods are often commoditised, it is lower. This is done by reviewing comparable licensing agreements sourced from Brand Finance’s extensive database.

3 Calculate royalty rate. The BSI score is applied to the royalty range to arrive at a royalty rate. For example, if the royalty range in a sector is 0-5% and a brand has a BSI score of 80 out of 100, then an appropriate royalty rate for the use of this brand in the given sector will be 4%.

4 Determine brand-specific revenues by estimating a proportion of parent company revenues attributable to a brand.

5 Determine forecast revenues using a function of historic revenues, equity analyst forecasts, and economic growth rates.

6 Apply the royalty rate to the forecast revenues to derive brand revenues.

7 Discount post-tax brand revenues to a net present value which equals the brand value.

Disclaimer

Brand Finance has produced this study with an independent and unbiased analysis. The values derived and opinions presented in this study are based on publicly available information and certain assumptions that Brand Finance used where such data was deficient or unclear. Brand Finance accepts no responsibility and will not be liable in the event that the publicly available information relied upon is subsequently found to be inaccurate. The opinions and financial analysis expressed in the study are not to be construed as providing investment or business advice. Brand Finance does not intend the study to be relied upon for any reason and excludes all liability to any body, government, or organisation.

The data presented in this study form part of Brand Finance's proprietary database, are provided for the benefit of the media, and are not to be used in part or in full for any commercial or technical purpose without written permission from Brand Finance.

Get in Touch

Message