Founded in 1980 The Beijing Yanjing Brewery produced 37.9 million litres of its flagship beer Yanjing in 2013. Also known as Beijing Beer, the brew is often described as the “taste of China”, alluding to its prevalence in the country. Its brewery is one of the largest in Asia, employing around 20,000 people and producing a range of pale lagers. The vast majority of its sales are owed to its native China, where it has been one of the best selling beers since the turn of the century, however the brand has made no secret of its plans to push into international markets with ambitions to strengthen its “brand management” to increase its prominence on the global stage.

Beer consumption in China is estimated to have increased on average by 7.1% each year over the past five years, with volumes predicted to rise by an average of 8.7% annually up to 2018, according to analysts at Corporate Financing Week.