Stay healthy, dear friends!
Zhuyun Chen from China, a graduate of the dual degree program in Viticulture and Enology (class of 2014), is still very attached to the university-affiliated Wine Campus Neustadt and the region. Zhuyun Chen, who comes from Fujian, Rhineland-Palatinate's partner region on the east coast of China, now works in Shanghai and runs a wine shop that imports German wine. She is currently also acting as a consultant for German wineries during the coronavirus crisis and has organized the import of urgently needed face masks from China to the Palatinate in a timely and uncomplicated manner. Katja Klohr from Wine Campus Neustadt spoke to Zhuyun Chen about the cautious return to everyday life in China, the special challenges of the wine trade during the crisis and cross-border friendship in times of social distancing.
1. what does your current everyday life look like?
In one of the most popular cafés in Taicang, which is considered the home of German companies in China, I write electronically to dear friends in Germany.
It is indeed wonderful that we are allowed to engage in activities in public spaces again. The general mood in everyday life is also very relaxed. Since mid-March, we've been meeting up with friends again for sport or dinner. Most hotels are also welcoming guests again. I personally was on a business trip for a day last week and had to queue at reception because of all the guests. A friend from Italy, who arrived in China a month ago, also had no problems with her first vacation on an island in southern China.
2. has your wine import business started up again and what challenges are there?
The impact of the pandemic can still be felt in everyday work and life. I am lucky that I organized the shipping of a container of wine to China before the Spring Festival. The import process was not affected at all. But corporate purchasing for company banquets has dropped to almost zero. At the moment, we still don't dare to offer offline wine events and invite participants in groups. My small team has used the last few months to set up an online store and publish posts. Our aim is to arouse a general interest in wine, even among people who are not yet wine drinkers, and to establish a culture of enjoyment in everyday life. To be honest, however, we are very behind other sellers when it comes to online advertising and sales. Thanks to digitalization, live shows are also possible via platforms such as Tik-Tok, Zoom, etc., which my colleague has tried to get me excited about many times. But I don't feel ready for that.
3. which wines are most in demand?
That depends very much on the target groups and my recommendations. A large proportion of my customers are young "wine beginners". I have put together a beginner's package with extra neck labels for them. Wine with a semi-dry or sweet taste goes down very well with this target group. The few real wine lovers prefer dry, full-bodied wines. For cultural reasons alone, red wine is easier to recommend than white wine.
4. are there specific measures in China that you rate particularly positively or negatively?
To be honest, I didn't look into the topic very much when the coronavirus spread in China and I was quarantined for six weeks. In my opinion, I therefore have no right to judge the measures. According to my experience in my hometown, strict adherence to the quarantine rules helped a lot, as most infected people did show symptoms sooner or later. It simplified the isolation work. The measures were strongly supported by digital processes. When I returned to work in Shanghai at the end of February, I had to provide a lot of information via APP: How I got to the airport, who was sitting next to me, where my final destination was, etc.. The aim was to trace chains of infection as quickly and effectively as possible and to contact those affected as quickly as possible.
I am also grateful to my landlord, German Center Taicang, who offered to reduce the rent even though the office is privately owned. The government has set an example by first suspending the rent of state-owned premises for two to three months. Private landlords have been asked to follow suit. This will ease the financial stress of many small stores. However, there were also impractical political measures: there was chaos for days in front of many highway ramps or at city and municipal borders, as exit or entry bans were announced spontaneously, without any lead time. Generalized regulations, which initially caused a lot of chaos for those affected and were only optimized later, were also bad: For example, people without family members in a certain city were not allowed to enter it, even if they lived and worked there. For example, I myself changed my train tickets three times and finally canceled them and waited until there were clear regulations. Not everyone had the freedom to decide to voluntarily stay in quarantine for longer.
5. has your view of the wine world and sales changed due to Corona?
Online sales are certainly a good alternative after the exchange with other importers and according to media reports. Online wine tastings and online wine seminars are booming, and many are presenting themselves with creative ideas on online platforms. However, I am of the opinion that personal offline contact will not be replaced by online events. If anything, the need for social contact will increase after the pandemic. And wine as a cultural asset is always a good "lubricant" for social activities. My business partners and I are currently in the process of opening a small café & wine bar in the city. This is a good opportunity for us to organize events such as wine tastings, seminars, etc. in our own restaurant.
6. have I heard that you are getting creative and supporting winegrowers with face masks from China? Do you have any other requests for aid packages?
It's not a creative idea of mine to send masks. Many Chinese people send masks to their relatives, friends and colleagues abroad. I have many older friends in Germany and I worry when I see or read the news on the daily news. I know what it was like in China a few weeks ago with the shortage of masks. Thanks to these friends, I had a very good time in Germany and I received a lot of support, especially from the older ones. The least I can offer now is to send them some masks.
7. what advice do you have for us in Germany to help us get back into everyday life quickly?
I think everyone would like to know the right answer to this question and is very curious about it. The coronavirus has now become a global crisis. In China, everyday life has started again cautiously, but with apprehension and fear. In my opinion, it is best that everyone tries to take responsibility and act responsibly. Every momentary restriction means one step closer to the normality of everyday life. With conscientious discipline, you can actually use working from home very productively and even enjoy your free time more. Yes, I was bored or sad from time to time, but then I thought briefly about friends, acquaintances or strangers who are now working in hospitals or providing care, and I said to myself: "How lucky I am. I can stay at home and spend my time as I wish."
I am keeping my fingers crossed for Germany and hope that we will soon find a global solution. Stay healthy, dear friends!
Interview: Katja Klohr