Ah, Budweiser: King of Beers. Well, that’s Budweiser’s marketing blurb anyway, but the reality is very different. By any measure the title of King of Beers would have to be awarded to Chinese Snow Beer. For a Kiwi tourism operator, knowing about and providing this much consumed and beloved refreshment on your menu or in the mini bar can be a great value-added stream.
So a little about Snow Beer.
For years, Snow Beer has held a title that would make most global brewing giants weep: the best-selling beer in the world by volume. And by far. Its story isn’t one of clever marketing campaigns or a complex, award-winning flavour profile. Instead, it’s a tale of scale, strategy, and a deep understanding of a local market’s thirst.
Snow Beer was born in 1993 as a joint venture between China Resources Enterprise and the multinational brewing giant SABMiller. Its mission was simple: to create a mass-market, affordable, and highly drinkable lager for China’s enormous population. It was never meant to be a connoisseur’s choice. Its success lies in its very simplicity. It’s a pale, light-bodied lager with a clean, unassuming flavour that’s designed to be refreshing and easy to consume in large quantities. The name itself is said to come from the pristine, white foam that forms on top of the beer when poured.
The company’s strategy was masterful. Rather than building a few enormous breweries, China Resources Snow Breweries embarked on a massive acquisition spree, buying up dozens of smaller, regional breweries across China. This allowed them to expand rapidly and to produce and distribute their beer locally, keeping costs low and ensuring a fresh product was always available in every corner of China.
The result was an explosion of popularity. In a country where beer is often consumed alongside large, communal meals and not always for its intricate taste, Snow Beer became the go-to beverage. It was the perfect accompaniment to spicy Sichuan food (see the Seven Cuisines of China), grilled skewers at a night market, or a simple dinner with family. It was accessible, consistent, and, most importantly, cheap.
While Snow Beer itself may not be found on the shelves of your local supermarket, its close relative Tsingtao beer is. If you are a Kiwi tourism provider, placing Tsingtao (or better yet Snow Beer itself if you can source it at a reasonable price) on the menu or in the Mini bar makes good business sense.
