A continuous process for producing alkali metal alkoxides comprising continuously introducing an aqueous solution of an alkali metal hydroxide into an upper section of a column reactor; continuously vaporizing an alkanol or an alkoxyalkanol of 4 to 18 carbon atoms into a lower section of the reactor at a rate of at least about 2 to 4 moles of alcohol for each mole of alkali metal hydroxide introduced into the reaction zone; reacting the aliphatic alcohol with the alkali metal hydroxide in the reactor; concurrently removing water from the alkali metal hydroxide solution and the alkoxide formation from an upper section of the reactor as an azeotrope formed by excess alcohol and water; continuously condensing and separating the azeotrope into an alcohol phase and a water phase, the water phase being removed from the process and the alcohol phase being returned to the column reactor; and removing a substantially anhydrous reaction product consisting primarily of alkoxide product in excess alcohol from a bottom section of the reactor while simultaneously maintaining a nonoxidizing atmosphere while conducting the reaction.