On September 5, the 15th China・Huailai Grape (Wine) Festival grandly opened. As a visitor, I personally experienced this year’s grape festival, and the local grape brand development left a deep impression on me. Known as the “Hometown of Grapes in China” and the “Hometown of Wine in China,” Huailai in Hebei Province is nationally renowned for its grapes and wine. The “most enchanting” grape (wine) brand undoubtedly belongs to Huailai.
How did Huailai create this prestigious brand? It is understood that unique natural advantages, a high-quality wine cluster effect, and trend-conscious promotion form the three pillars of Huailai’s grape brand.
Natural conditions are a gift bestowed upon Huailai
Huailai County in Hebei Province is located in the 40°N golden belt for grape cultivation, boasting a history of grape growing spanning over a thousand years. The region enjoys distinct seasons, abundant sunlight, and significant day-night temperature variations, making it one of the best areas in the country for cultivating both table and wine grapes.
Leveraging this divine gift, Huailai has successfully transformed its natural advantages into industrial strengths through historical accumulation and years of effort. In Huailai, nearly 160,000 people are engaged in grape and wine-related industries, with an annual output value exceeding 4 billion yuan. In terms of grape cultivation, Huailai adopts a cooperative model of “farmers + cooperatives + leading enterprises,” forming an interest linkage mechanism that shares risks, benefits, and fosters win-win collaboration. Grape farmers are integrated into cooperatives, forming the front end of the industrial chain. This not only protects the interests of planting farmers but also provides ample grape sources for wine enterprises, making Huailai an attractive destination for many wine producers.
High-quality wines attract global taste buds
In Huailai, the wine industry, led by Great Wall Wine, places great emphasis on the production of high-quality wines, occupying a significant share of the domestic market and exporting to 24 countries and regions. The production of premium wines results from a focus on research and development as well as production processes. The first dry white wine in China was born here. According to staff in Huailai, “In recent years, county-level wine research institutions and wine quality inspection centers have been established in Huailai. Moreover, Huailai collaborates with research institutes such as the Chinese Academy of Agricultural
This year, the Huailai grape industry has demonstrated significant clustering effects, with the "Yanhuai River Valley Shacheng Wine Production Area" becoming synonymous with Huailai wine. Leveraging Huailai’s advantages in grape cultivation and strong wine R&D capabilities, the region has seen a concentration of wineries and a multitude of brands. After years of development, Huailai has introduced and developed eight major brands — including "Great Wall," "Sanggan," "Sino-French," "Danbian," "Rongchen," and "Ruiyun" — offering a total of 55 varieties of wine products. In addition, drawing on foreign winery development models, the Huailai County Government has tapped into the scenic and cultural appeal of local wineries to develop wine tourism projects, maximizing the utilization of downstream industries. In building a diversified grape industry, Huailai stands out uniquely nationwide.
Promotion Adds Luster to Huailai Grape Brands
Even the best wine fears being hidden away — the success of Huailai grape brands owes much to timely and trend-aware promotional efforts. The Huailai Grape (Wine) Festival, as a promotional platform, has been running for fifteen years and is the most established grape festival in the country. It has now evolved into a major event integrating grape culture, wine tasting, grape picking, and related activities, while also becoming a popular autumn travel destination in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. According to staff from the county tourism bureau, “Apart from locals and those in the wine industry, the majority of attendees at this year’s grape festival were tourists from other regions.” Nowadays, holiday leisure has become a highlight of the grape festival, significantly expanding the influence of Huailai grapes.
The open-minded approach and visionary strategies of the Huailai County Government have doubled the effectiveness of grape brand promotion. Taking this year’s grape festival as an example, the Huailai Grape (Wine) Festival innovatively built its influence among internet users. Through online poster releases, website forum warm-ups, and real-time interactions on Weibo, the festival was already buzzing online well before its official opening. Mr. Zhang from Beijing chose Huailai as his travel destination during the Mid-Autumn Festival after seeing related information on Weibo.
The reason why the Huailai grape brand has gained national fame is due to the combined drive of three factors, setting a strong example for the promotion of other national brands.