Positioning single malt Scotch whisky brands in China: how companies can take advantage of the new middle class

Abstract

The single malt Scotch whisky category of the spirits industry in China is experiencing rapid growth; and brands are attempting to understand and exploit this prosperous market. This dissertation examines how single malt brands can best position their offering to penetrate the Chinese market by targeting the rapidly growing middle-class. For brands currently serving the Chinese market, this dissertation investigates consumer insights and key success factors to grow market share. A comprehensive review of relevant scholarly material on luxury products and brand authenticity provide the academic foundation to address the problem statement and guide primary data collection. Qualitative data collected in the form of 10 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with industry experts instructs findings and guides analysis. Key findings are presented thematically and analysed to reveal patterns, synthesise results with academic literature, and derive conclusions. This dissertation fills an academic gap on Chinese luxury consumers and offers recommendations for future research to study this consumer group on a deeper level.