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Chinese baiju rice wine: By the numbers

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$92.4 billion

Sales of Chinese baijiu in 2012. The traditional Chinese banquet drink is the world’s largest spirit category by sales. Source: International Wine and Spirit Research Group.

4.9%

Forecasted growth rate for sales of baijiu in 2013,equaling the growth rate for the past two years. Source: Euromonitor

98%

The estimated percentage of China’s sales of spirits in 2012. The category includes vodka and whiskey. Source: Euromonitor

441 million

The number of primary baijiu drinkers in China who are aged between 30 and 49 by 2015. Source: China Cuisine Association

22%

The percentage of the “post-1980 generation” among baijiu drinkers by 2015. Source: China Cuisine Association

4 trillion

Total sales for 13 listed Chinese baijiu companies between 2003 and 2012. Annul growth rate soared since 2006 to 20% from 10%, and peaked in 2011 at 46%. Source: Wind

17 billion liters

Projected baijiu production in 2016, compared with 4.9 billion liters in 2007. Source: Frost & Sullivan