China overtakes UK as top Castel export destination

China has overtaken the UK to become the main export market by volume for French global wine firm Castel.

The company saw their sales to China soar by more than 243% by the end of May 2009.

In total, Castel exported almost 14m bottles to China last year, and expects sales will reach close to 20m bottles in 2010.

A representative from Castel said, ‘we experienced an exceptionally strong decline in our exports to the UK, volumes falling from 14m to 10m bottles, largely due to the weakness of sterling against the euro, the increase in duties on alcohol and the general economic downturn.’

‘We expect to recover some of the markets we lost last year in UK in 2010, but China is perhaps set to stretch its lead.’

According to a recent Vinexpo study, by 2012, China will have become the 7th largest consumer of wine.

Written by James Lawrence