5,500 litres of Šapat wines shipped to China

A shipment of 5,500 litres of wine from Šapat Wine Atelier has been dispatched to the People’s Republic of China as a result of business agreements reached during the recent visit of a Serbian business delegation to the country.

The delegation, led by Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister of Economy Adriana Mesarović, met with dozens of distributors and representatives of major retail chains across three Chinese provinces. Šapat Wine Atelier is the first winery to conclude a distribution agreement for significant quantities of wine. Until now, Šapat wines had been available only in a limited number of exclusive restaurants in China, but they will now gain significantly broader access to a market of more than one billion potential consumers.

The wines were loaded today at the distribution centre in Dobanovci, cleared through customs and prepared for transport.

“This is not only a success for our winery, but also for the entire Serbian wine industry, as it marks the beginning of a serious presence of Serbian wines among Chinese consumers,” said Mladen Ćirić, Director of Šapat Wine Atelier. “Exports to China are the result of the strategic partnership between Serbia and China, as well as the policies of our government, which have opened the doors of a market with more than one billion consumers to Serbian producers. I would therefore like to express my sincere gratitude to the President of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of Serbia for creating the conditions, trust and business framework that have enabled Serbian products to enter the Chinese market.”

Ćirić also referred to the Serbia – China Free Trade Agreement, signed in 2024, which provides for the gradual elimination of customs duties. As of 2028, Serbian wines will be exported to China entirely free of customs tariffs.

“We believe this is the beginning of a remarkable journey – not only for our winery, but for Serbian winemaking as a whole. The state has opened the door for us, and it is now up to producers to offer quality products and continue investing in increased production capacity, as the vast Chinese market requires a stable and continuous supply of large volumes of wine. We are proud that our products will represent Serbia in China and, we hope, in the best possible light,” concluded Mladen Ćirić.

The shipment ceremony was also attended by Milan Nastić, a distributor of Serbian wines on the Chinese market. According to him, this initial shipment will be followed by additional deliveries from Serbian wineries.

“A new rail freight route has recently been established between Serbia and Hebei Province in northern China, making the transportation of goods significantly more efficient, faster and more cost-effective than previously available logistics channels. Šapat wines will arrive at the distribution centre in Hebei within no more than 23 days,” Nastić emphasized.

The event was also attended by representatives of a Chinese company from Hebei Province, which is already constructing a distribution centre for Serbian products. The facility will receive not only Serbian wines, but also a wide range of other products from Serbia.