A batch of 1,200 bottles of Lithuanian rum sold out in less than an hour after hitting the shelves of the state-run Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp. (TTL) on February 1.
At the beginning of the year, Taiwan bought a shipment of 20,400 bottles of Lithuanian rum that was blocked by Chinese customs.
In January, TTL announced that 6,000 bottles of Lithuanian rum would be released to the market before Lunar New Year, celebrated on February 1.
People began lining up for Lithuanian rum at 12 TTL locations across Taiwan early on February 1, the company’s chairman Ting Yen-che said. Those in line were limited to one bottle of Lithuanian liquor per person, he added.
Once TTL stores opened at 9:30, the 1,200 bottles that were made available were sold out within one hour, according to Yen-che.
As Lithuanian rum turned out to be more popular than expected, TTL is also considering signing a long-term contract with its producer MV Group.
Beijing has started blocking Lithuanian goods from entering the Chinese market after Vilnius allowed Taiwan to open a representative office under its name. (LRT/Business World Magazine)