Company profile

For far too long wine has been a subject that allures many people. Nowadays not only it is a bottle of alcoholic beverage that you can find in a wine shop, but also a popular drink that appears in many joyful occasions, a specific knowledge that columns of books talk about, or even a luxurious collection that people pay for in an auction. More importantly, it is a vital part of dining culture in many countries. Our profound interest in unveiling the mystique of wine finally became the motivation to turn our passion into a profession. In 1996, Wine Gallery International (WGI), a complete subsidiary of Apex Hope Development, was founded under this simple notion.

The pursuit of quality in life is one of our living philosophies. This idea plays a significant role in our decision making and it directs the development path of the company. At the beginning, WGI was positioned on a wholesale level. This concept was based on our commitment to introduce more varieties of good quality wines with reasonable and affordable price to our customers, so that they could also enjoy the art of wine. WGI is now the official agent of Vignobles Germain & Associates from France and Hijos De Antonio Barcelo from Spain. For the past few years, we have been supplying wines to many restaurants, leading hotels in Hong Kong, and clubs etc.

Thanks to the support and positive feedback from our customers, we endeavored to expand our business to retail level. In 2001, we reached agreement with certain retailing stores in Hong Kong such as City Super, Jusco and UNY. From then, we were able to increase our market possession on retailing. The result is encouraging so far and we are currently reviewing the feasibility to cooperate with more retailing stores.

Another ambition that we always want to carry out is to cultivate people’s interest in knowing more about wines and let them understand the correct attitude of enjoying wine. Undeniably, wine appreciation and knowledge is on the rise in Hong Kong and Asia. However people tend to rely too much on the latest wine reports or counting how many medals on the labels. We believe different individual have different expectation, perception as well as satisfaction on wine. The most effective and reliable way to know more about wine is to taste the wine. Hence, wine tasting functions are organized regularly in order to broaden our contact with other wine lovers and create an opportunity for more people to realize that neither pricing nor reputation but their own sensation is the factor that determines the characters of good wines.

Health-consciousness is another message that we hope to convey. Medical research has proved the effectiveness of wine in reducing cholesterol while enhancing blood circulation if suitable amount of wine is consumed. Meanwhile, it is also certain that long-termed or excess consumption of alcohol is still hazardous to health. We emphasize self –controlled and balanced consumption of wine. By establishing a correct attitude, people can enjoy wine better. And it is what we mean the quality of life.

The economy in Asia has experienced tremendous impact throughout the past few years. The aftermath of such impact remains formidable. Nevertheless our vigilance in market situation and dedication in work has made us survive during the dark period. However it is not a time for complacency, instead we will devote much more effort and take measures to rectify the situation. Hong Kong’s future development seems inextricably linked with the market in Mainland China. Being a Hong Kong based company, WGI will make use of its advantage to get to the market of this world’s focus. The enormous diversity of tastes in Chinese cuisine is a solid foundation that offers chances to select accompaniments from the equally diverse world of wine. We have been preparing for quite a while in order to launch a project that enables us to fulfill this objective. We are convinced that Hong Kong’s advanced telecommunication technology, sophisticated cargo logistic network, as well as free and well-developed banking system will make itself one of the most essential gates to enter Mainland China market.

Hindrance still exists, but our vision is clear and our commitment remains unchanged. We always bear in mind to further establish a bilaterally beneficial relationship with our customers and suppliers. We will continue bringing in good quality wines, providing high standard service to cater for the needs of our customers and exercising flexibility to cope with the ever-changing market environment. To us, this is the road to improve our quality of life. Please join us and let us share this with you. And eventually you can feel how your quality of life is nourished by the marvel of wine.

April 2003