My CIIE Story • Big Market: Dole brings fruits from around the world to China

Editor's Note: Preparations for the fifth China International Import Expo have entered the home stretch. Over the past five years, many foreign companies have developed greater confidence and increased their investments in China through the expo. Numerous organizations and individuals have gained memorable experiences during the fair and witnessed its spillover effects.

The CIIE Bureau and the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) launched the "My CIIE Story" activity on June 1. Some excellent works centered on "grand strategy" and "big market" were published in July and August.

Dole is a leading company in the fruit industry and has participated in the CIIE four times.

The expo has made many Dole products, such as Sweetio pineapples, Brazilian melons, and Filipino avocados, a hit with Chinese consumers. An entire year's output of the Belgian conference pears, which we debuted at the fourth CIIE in 2021, sold out even before the expo concluded.

Buoyed by the benefits of the CIIE, we have introduced a string of new products to capitalize on the opportunities in the Chinese market.

The expo has also expanded Dole's circle of friends as many government officials visited our booth, and hundreds of companies, including Shanghai Disney Resort, signed cooperation deals with us.

In addition, the CIIE's international influence has helped Dole build a stronger brand image. During the past four editions of the expo, more than 1,000 Chinese and foreign media outlets published stories about Dole, and we were ranked fourth in terms of media coverage among all exhibitors at the fourth CIIE's agricultural products exhibition.

An increasing number of fruits have been allowed to enter China in recent years, and customs authorities have even streamlined the process to speed up clearance of imported fruits. This in turn ensures that consumers get access to fresher fruits while companies also get to reduce operating costs.

The favorable conditions, together with the trade facilitation policies issued by the CIIE, have offered more opportunities to Dole.

China is now one of the most important markets for Dole in Asia. We are optimistic about its business environment and open market, and have been increasing investments and developing new businesses in the country. We plan to tap the Southwest China's market and have established distribution centers in Guiyang, Chengdu, and Chongqing this year.

At the fourth CIIE, Dole signed a memorandum of understanding to participate in the following three editions of the expo. For the fifth CIIE, we will showcase more high-quality new products, including some with the packaging featuring the cartoon character Minion – a result of our cooperation with Universal Pictures. Our booth will continue to embody the concepts of environmental protection and sustainability.

The author is the director of marketing at Dole China. She has rich experience in brand building, marketing promotion, and public relations management.