Guizhou Firm Faces Official Probe Over Misleading Moutai-Branded Recruitment Event

Authorities in Guiyang have formally opened an investigation into a company accused of leveraging the Moutai name to lure business partners under false pretenses.

The market regulation bureau's high-tech district branch in Guiyang confirmed on September 6 that a case has been registered against Guizhou Qianmao Marketing Planning Co., Ltd. A spokesperson stated that the probe is currently underway as part of standard procedures, with no final ruling issued yet. Attempts by financial media to reach the bureau for further comment had not received a response by the time of publication.

The controversy dates back to late May, when the firm hosted an investment summit under the banner of the Moutai Group. Sales representatives allegedly presented themselves as employees of Moutai Group's health industry division, bombarding entrepreneurs across multiple regions with unsolicited calls. Attendees were taken on tours of Moutai's packaging workshops in Maotai Town, invited to sample Feitian Moutai, and left with the impression that the gathering was an official Moutai-sponsored event.

However, contract terms revealed a different reality. To qualify for discounted Moutai purchases, participants were required to buy a high proportion of the firm's own Qianmao liquor, with a minimum spending threshold of 600,000 yuan. The contracting party was not affiliated with any Moutai Group entity.

On June 1, Kweichow Moutai Co.,Ltd.'s health liquor subsidiary issued a statement clarifying that the so-called "Moutai cooperation summit" was organized by Guizhou Qianmao Marketing Planning Co., Ltd. without prior approval from either the health industry company or its sales arm. The subsidiary noted that the unauthorized event constituted misleading marketing that violated their partnership agreement, prompting an immediate suspension of all cooperation and distribution rights with the planning firm. Legal action would be pursued to hold the company accountable, the statement added.

As the investigation unfolds, the episode underscores the risks of unauthorized brand association in China's lucrative baijiu market, where the Moutai name carries significant commercial weight.