A cheerful idea that was conceived in ashes

VIP customers drinking in Cheers Shanghai

As a wine retail outlet chain expanding nationwide, Cheers itself is a wholesaler of imported wines. Wines are reasonably priced, all imported directly by Cheers from wineries from all over the world.

Every wine Cheers buys for China has to go through headquarters in Switzerland for approval, Masueger says, a process backed up by four generations of knowhow.

Afford ability is one of the most important things, the starting price being just 28 yuan ($4.25) a bottle. The price range stretches to 800 yuan, and most of the wines cost about 80 yuan.

Ahead of afford ability in importance is quality, Masueger says, fol-lowed by warehousing. Many bad wines on the market are the result of poor storage, she says.

"For example, if you put wines in truck on a summer's day and drive for several hours, the wine is going to be bad. Some dealers in China treat wines like Coca-Cola."

As Cheers flourishes, Masueger says, the company is on the lookout for many copycats, those who try to replicate the interior design of its shops, its products displays, and even staff T-shirts.

"We realize others are copying us, so we have to innovate all the time, and be on top of the market."

She is now looking for new franchises, her modest goal this year being to open 60more stores. Of its 30 present outlets, half are directly owned and half are franchises.

Then, perhaps harking back to that portentous message her driver delivered five years ago about beckoning good fortune, Masueger, laughing heartily, says: "My dream goal is to open 888 stores."