Drinks companies have their eyes on the ladies

With a female population of about 630 million in China, leading beverage companies are hoping to tempt women consumers in the 18 to 59 age group, which makes up 60 percent of the overall total. U MEET, for example, comes in nine colors and will retail at 48 yuan a bottle. It is expected to become popular with the younger generation that love trendy nightclubs.

But Moutai, which is famous for producing baijiu, which is made from a mixture of grains including rice, wheat and corn, faces tough competition in a crowded marketplace.

Global player Diageo Plc has always had a major presence in the sector with the company's Baileys brand, popular with women drinkers. The multinational alcoholic beverages group from the United Kingdom is expanding distribution of Baileys, an Irish whiskey and cream-based liqueur, through e-commerce platforms and convenience stores.

"We have also updated the bottle size for Baileys from 750 milliliters to a smaller size, so female customers will find it easy to carry and share with friends at parties or at picnics," said Tang Wu, Diageo's brand communications public relations manager.

In another strategic move, Baileys is now collaborating with Costa Coffee, a UK coffee chain, to develop a beverage named Cortado for the Chinese market.

Driving growth in China has become a priority for leading spirts labels such as Diageo and Pernord Ricard, a multinational beverages group based in France. Even Chinese companies that produce baijiu, which has 99 percent of market share in the spirits category, has felt the pain.

Upmarket brands have cut prices by nearly 50 percent, according to a 2014 report released by Mintel Group Ltd, the global market research firm based in the UK.