Langjiu's Longma Winery Phase 1 to Start Trial Operation in December, Advancing Its Jianxiang Strategy

Autumn Fermentation Commences; Longma Winery Set for Trial Operation in December

On September 23, the "Following Nature's Rhythm: 2026 Langjiu Autumn Fermentation Opening Ceremony" was held at Langjiu's Nongjiang-Jianxiang (Strong Aroma-Soy Sauce Aroma) production base, officially launching the 2026 batch of autumn fermentation for Langjiu's Jianxiang portfolio.

Langjiu also announced that Phase I of the Longma Winery will begin trial operations in December this year. Following the Langjiu Estate on the left bank of the Chishui River, the other pole of "China Langjiu's Twin Winery Stars" is about to be illuminated.

From the opening of fermentation pits to the trial operation of the winery, the quality, market, and future prospects of Langjiu's Jianxiang strategy are converging into a powerful force.

01 Quality: The Foundation of a Great Bottle of Wine

Quality is not a slogan—it is verifiable awards, visitable fermentation pits, and traceable craftsmanship.

On the day of the ceremony, which coincided with the Autumn Equinox, 145 guests entered the brewing workshop, holding golden shovels to jointly open the autumn fermentation pits. This is part of Langjiu's unique "54321" process, which follows the natural rhythm of sealing pits in midsummer, allowing 100 days of rest, and opening them in autumn's cool weather.

This process system is the result of three breakthroughs over half a century:

• 1970s: The older generation of Langjiu brewers, after the sixth round of soy sauce aroma extraction, added grain and continued brewing using the strong aroma process, achieving the "one-step method" that created the Jianxiang category from scratch.
• Early 2000s: The "two-step method" employed separate fermentation, targeted production, and subsequent blending to achieve the classic "strong aroma head, soy sauce aroma tail" style.
• Present: The mature "54321" process system integrates the complex flavor base of five grains, the flavor characteristics of four-season brewing, the microbial system of three types of koji, and the synergistic fermentation of two types of pits, ultimately forming the unique "one aroma, multiple flavors" Jianxiang style.

Awards Validate Craftsmanship

In July this year, at the 4th China Baijiu Body Design Competition, three Langjiu liquor body designers swept the top three positions among 153 finalists. Co-hosted by the China Light Industry Federation, the China Finance, Commerce, Light Industry, Textile and Tobacco Trade Union, and the China Alcoholic Drinks Association, the competition results are incorporated into the national vocational skills competition system, making it one of the highest-standard events in the baijiu industry's liquor body design field.

Liquor body design is a core technical role in the blending process. This achievement reflects Langjiu's systematic excellence across the entire value chain of "grain-koji-brewing-storage-blending."

Notably, the flagship Jianxiang product, Longma Lang, was crafted by this team. After Langjiu's Jianxiang strategy was announced in 2023, the design of Longma Lang products was initiated. The team spent three years refining the products, striving for improvements of one-thousandth or one-ten-thousandth. The winning designers revealed that the flavor designs of the three Longma Lang products correspond to specific consumption scenarios—using "sweet and mellow" to evoke warmth and emotion, bringing flavor expression closer to consumers' actual drinking moments.

This marks the third consecutive year that Langjiu's technical team has stood on the highest podium at national-level liquor body design competitions:

• 2024: First place at the 2nd "Moutai Cup" Liquor Body Design Competition
• 2025: Second and third places at the 3rd competition
• 2026: Swept all top three positions

Supporting this achievement is a professional technical team of over 1,000 members, including Chinese brewing masters and 31 national-level baijiu judges, as well as 21 national, provincial, and municipal-level scientific research and innovation platforms, and over 350 authorized patents.

Regional Advantages

Another pillar of quality comes from the production region. Langjiu's Jianxiang base in Luzhou is located in the core hinterland of China's Baijiu Golden Triangle, endowed with the dual advantages of strong aroma and soy sauce aroma production. Earlier this year, Langjiu formally expanded into the Yibin production region, further strengthening its Jianxiang production capacity. This means Langjiu's Jianxiang portfolio is a systematic integration of three major production regions—Luzhou, Erlang, and Yibin—a rare feat in China's baijiu industry.

02 Market: Longma Lang's First Anniversary—Light from the Frontline

For a new product in its first year on the market, building reputation is often more valuable than achieving sales targets.

At the ceremony, speakers included not only the head of Longma Lang Company but also a distributor from Henan, a tobacco and liquor store operator from Changge, and a member consumer from Luzhou. Manufacturers, channels, terminals, and member consumers all shared their experiences, painting a complete picture of a bottle of wine from factory to table.

The three Longma Lang products target the core mainstream price range of RMB 200–500:

| Product | Suggested Retail Price | Positioning | Target Scenario | |---------|----------------------|--------------|-----------------| | Jinma (Gold Horse) | RMB 559 | "Cheers to Success" | High-end business banquets | | Heima (Black Horse) | RMB 359 | "Tribute to Strivers" | School admissions, promotions, mid-range business banquets | | Baima (White Horse) | RMB 259 | "Cheers for Happiness" | Wedding and celebration banquets |

Over the past year:

• Baima broke through first, performing strongly in wedding and celebration scenarios.
• Heima gained traction in school admission and promotion scenarios.
• Jinma continued to grow among opinion leaders and corporate members.

In terms of market expansion, core provinces such as Shandong, Henan, and Sichuan have shown outstanding performance. Longma Lang's brand promotion events have effectively reached over 200,000 target consumers. Carnival activities have established strategic cooperation with more than 20,000 core terminals. On the brand side, Longma Lang has partnered with CCTV IP programs and achieved nationwide exposure across 100 cities through bus ads, outdoor billboards, and LED screens.

Real-World Terminal Performance

Distributor Liu Ya (Henan): Liu Ya's company, Haiyi Group, has been deeply involved in home appliance sales for over 20 years, with annual sales exceeding RMB 20 billion. When the company decided to enter the baijiu market, it chose Longma Lang. The reasons included the blue ocean opportunity of the Jianxiang category, Langjiu's quality reputation among customers, and the precise match of the three products with younger consumers and wedding/celebration scenarios. The group's nearly 7,000 employees are predominantly post-1997 generation. Last year, the company integrated internal resources to distribute over 6,000 employee welfare liquor packages, bringing Longma Lang into tens of thousands of households. In nearly a year of cooperation, single-product sales in just one district of Zhengzhou have approached RMB 5 million.

Terminal Operator Zhang Weifeng (Changge): With 18 years of experience in the liquor business, Zhang decisively entered the market when Longma Lang launched in Changge at the end of last year. He sold hundreds of thousands of yuan by year-end and restocked 300 cases early this year. Longma Lang has now become his store's main product. Through 20 tasting events, he has converted over 20 local companies into Longma Lang corporate members, including several listed companies.

Member Consumer Li Jinlong (Luzhou): A Gold Card member of Longma Lang, Li has been associated with Langjiu for over 20 years. Longma Lang Jinma has become the preferred daily business reception liquor for his company. "No hangover, no burden after drinking" is the common feedback from his friends. His summary is simple: "Langjiu is a friend of time; we are friends of Langjiu."

During the industry adjustment period, Longma Lang has brought distributors, terminals, and consumers to the forefront, letting those with firsthand experience share market feedback. Genuine market penetration is far more valuable than impressive numbers.

Flagship and Core Products

The spotlight was not limited to the flagship product. On the day of the ceremony, Xiao Langjiu, the nation's top-selling small-bottle baijiu, released its 2026 themed trilogy: the Xi Shi (Lucky Lion) Edition, the Cyberpunk Edition, and the Zi Ding Da Fa (Purple Prosperity) Edition. All three designs came from a cloud design competition open to consumers. While the flagship product pushes upward, the core product line continues to engage consumers, with the Jianxiang product matrix advancing on both fronts simultaneously.

03 Future: Longma Winery Phase I Trial Operation in December—Supporting the Second Growth Engine

The most significant announcement at the ceremony was the progress of the Longma Winery. According to Wang Bowei, General Manager of Langjiu Co., Ltd., Phase I of the Longma Winery Hotel will begin trial operations in mid-December this year. In March next year, the Banquet & Performance Center and Longma Terrace—embodying Langjiu's ultimate "three products" (quality, brand, taste)—will be unveiled, and the Longma Winery will officially open to the public.

Located at Langjiu's Nongjiang-Jianxiang production base in Luzhou, the Longma Winery underwent over five years of planning and design. Construction began in September 2023, with a total investment of RMB 15 billion and a planned area of approximately 5,000 mu (about 333 hectares). It comprises three functional zones:

• Nongjiang-Jianxiang Baijiu Production Zone
• Ceramic Production Zone
• Cultural Experience Zone

The Experience Zone, which will primarily be open to consumers, will feature over 10 functional projects, including a brand experience hall, the Longma Terrace Banquet & Performance Center, a winery hotel, a bar island, and supporting commercial facilities. The Banquet & Performance Center, inspired by the ancient ritual jade artifact "Yuxuanji," is designed to become a landmark building showcasing Langjiu's culture.

Experience Design Details

According to details disclosed at the event, the winery's experience design is meticulously planned:

• The Experience Zone is arranged around an artificial lake, with water quality standards comparable to those of Chengdu's Luhu Eco-City.
• Phase I of the hotel will have over 300 guest rooms, with an infinity pool on the rooftop.
• Upon completion of both phases, the entire winery will have a reception capacity of approximately 700 people.

Once fully completed, the Longma Winery will support Langjiu's Nongjiang-Jianxiang production to achieve an annual output of 150,000 to 200,000 tons and a storage capacity of 500,000 tons.

The Winery Model

The effectiveness of the winery model has already been validated by the Langjiu Estate. Since its official operation in 2020, the Langjiu Estate has received hundreds of thousands of visitors, becoming a benchmark for experiential marketing in China's baijiu industry. The Longma Winery, located in Luzhou city center with convenient transportation, promises strong reception and service capabilities.

Two wineries, two distinct characters:

• Langjiu Estate: Classic, supporting high-end soy sauce aroma products.
• Longma Winery: Fashionable and aspirational, supporting the leading position of Jianxiang products.

As Langjiu Group Chairman Wang Junlin stated when laying the foundation for the Longma Winery: "The significance of the Longma Winery's construction for the development of Nongjiang-Jianxiang is no less than that of the Langjiu Estate's construction for soy sauce aroma baijiu."

Wang Bowei clarified the next steps:

• Unwaveringly adhere to the strategy of "High-end Soy Sauce Aroma, Leading Jianxiang, Dual Excellence."
• Unwaveringly adhere to the "Three Products Strategy" of quality, brand, and taste.
• Unwaveringly adhere to the principle that "Langjiu Estate supports the flagship products Qinghua Lang and Honghua Lang, while Longma Winery supports the flagship product Longma Lang."
• Unwaveringly adhere to winning battles with the "Longma Wolf Spirit."

Regional Impact

It is worth noting that the accelerated development of Langjiu's Jianxiang production base and the completion of the Longma Winery are also part of Luzhou's efforts to build a "world-class baijiu industry cluster," injecting new momentum into the development of Luzhou's baijiu industry.

"Because we believe, we see." For a company committed to long-termism, opening the fermentation pits marks the beginning of a year, and the winery marks a milestone on the journey. Langjiu's Jianxiang strategy has already completed the most convincing leg of this long-distance race.

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