ASC is one of the largest wine importers and franchisers in China that was established by Pierre family at 1996. ST. Pierre is the chairmen of ASC and lives in Beijing. He was born in America and was a professional baseball member when he was young. After that, he came to Chan and plunged in business. Before he established ASC, he was the president of Beijing Jeep. Recently, the reporter of VINO VOGUE magazine made an interview with Mr. ST. Pierre.

Reporter:It has been ten year when ASC established. Ten yeas ago in China, people just knew a little of wine. How did ASC deal with this situation?

St. Pierre: 90% of our customers were the guests who had dinners in the five-star hotel and they had known what the genuine wine was in a certain extent.

Reporter: What did you consider about the Chinese wine market at that time?

St. Pierre: Before we chose Chinese market, we studied Chinese market and knew that although there was not enough land for the grape development at that time and the wine brewing technology was immature in China, it would join in WTO, the tariff would be cut down and the Chinese government would encourage fruit wine’s development. So, we chose China. The fact proved that we are completed right.

Reporter: What is the biggest difficulty for you in these ten years of venture? How did you code with it?

St. Pierre: there were a lot of difficulties I faced with in the road of venture and the biggest difficulty was to retain staff. China lacks wine culture, so just a few people knew how to sell wine. We considered our company as a big family with team spirits and team work. Since we wanted our staff to work for company corporately rather than making them compete badly inside, we gave staff high salaries rather than basing on the sales outstanding achievement to extract some money and kept this principle till today.

Reporter: What mentality did you have when you in that hard condition?

St. Pierre: According to the experience of car manufacture in China, if only we believe ourselves and stick to it, Chinese wine market will be as prosperous as the auto industry. Wine is popular in most countries all over the world, including China. I believed that with the improvement of Chinese people’s lives, wine will become the necessity of the life rather than luxurious thing. In fact, wine is so enjoyable that more and more Chinese people will love it.

Reporter: Do you think there were any changes in these ten years?

St. Pierre: The past ten years is very exciting and the development of ASC makes the ASC’s staff gratified, which attributed to Chinese customers. Among our customers, the Chinese domestic customers have increased from 10% to 70%. More and more people like drinking wine and consider it as a social drink.

Reporter: As we know, there are many differences among Baseball member, the CEO of Beijing JEEP and the wine company, and how did you do the best of them?

St. Pierre: I always work hard and pay more attention to every details of everything. I believe that detail determines success.

Reporter: If you can choose again, will you still choose wine to be your career?

St. Pierre: Of course! That is a very good industry where we can meet a lot of outstanding and interesting people. I think it has a large potential and prosperous future, and my son has the same idea.

Reporter:There were many difficulties in the early time of setting up ASC. Your family must give you many helps, did they?

St. Pierre: Without the help of my little son Don JR. came to China to help me in 1998, ASC premium wine company can’t last to today. Besides, many friends, including Chinese and foreigners, helped me and encouraged me to code with difficulties. I’m very appreciated them.

Reporter: I have seen in the website that you praised your son is the best cooperator of you. Why did you say that?

St. Pierre: Small Don is my dear son. I’m very proud of him. He is not only my son, but also my friend. We can communicate by heart.

Reporter: What are your opinions about Chinese market?

St. Pierre: It is very prosperous, especially to ASC. In past six years, our income increased by 50% per year and will continue in several years. I am confident that Chinese wine market will be better with the popularization of wine culture.

Reporter: What strategic did you carry out to make ASC occupy mostly of Chinese market?

St. Pierre: Our staffs are very excellent, and our wines are very abundant that can meet different needs of customers! We have professional training systems to let more and more people know wine culture. We have perfect and swift delivery system in order to surpass the other competitors.

Reporter: How many wines does ASC act deputize?

St. Pierre: ASC deputizes 13 counties’ wines now. French wines share 44% of the total ,and Australian wines share 22%.

Reporter: Your aim is to introduce fine wines to China, and what wines does you choose to introduce to China?

St. Pierre: Generally speaking, the wine that we deputize must be the famous brand in the world and is of high quality. We would like to cooperate with family-style wine chateau from now on.

Reporter: I know you have your brand-ST. Pierre dry red wine, and how did ASC build the brand itself and promote the other brands?

St. Pierre: We import the bulk wine from California and filled it in bottle in China to make the ST. Pierre dry red wine. This wine is of high quality but with low price, which is sold in every super market.

Reporter: How did you promote the wines that are deputized by you and let Chinese people accept them?

St. Pierre: We try our best to let Chinese customer to maintain this idea that ASC’ wines are the good wines. We have used much time to analyze the wines’ adaptability of market and then make some promotion plans. In order to make sure the quality of the wine, although facing many business opportunities, we just choose one brand to deputize for one month.

Reporter: What’s your next plan to do in China?

St. Pierre: We plans to set up a Chinese brewery which brews wine with 100% Chinese domestic grape. We are seeking for a suitable land to build this brewery now.

Reporter: The Olympic Games will be held in China in 2008, do you have any plans for it?

St. Pierre: There will be a competition in the vintners at that time and wine business will develop along with Olympic Games. We will sell super wines continually and make sure to supply plenty of wines to it. I will be in Beijing in 2008 and take part in activities as many as I can.