From global farms to local plates

Milk delivered within 72 hours from New Zealand farms, blueberries from Chile, and a steady stream of globally debuting fruit varieties and meat products are making their way onto Chinese dining tables. Each year, the China International Import Expo serves as a gateway for farm-fresh goods from around the world to enter China, broadening consumer choices while helping overseas companies tap the country's expanding market.

"Milk New Zealand Dairy has participated in the CIIE for eight consecutive years, gaining new insights each time," says Yan Zhijun, marketing director of Milk New Zealand Dairy in Asia-Pacific.

"Since entering China in 2015, the brand has grown from an unfamiliar foreign name to one available from Mohe in Heilongjiang province in the far northeast to Sansha in Hainan province, at the southernmost tip. It now covers more than 5,000 stores in 25 provinces and municipalities," he says. "This progress is largely thanks to the brand visibility and market access the CIIE platform has created for us."

To ensure optimal taste, the company delivers fresh milk from New Zealand farms to Shanghai in under three days, according to Yan.

In the past eight years, as its presence in China has expanded, Milk New Zealand Dairy has also helped other companies enter the Chinese market. The company has organized delegations of New Zealand businesses to join the expo for three consecutive years.

"Prosperity comes from diversity. We hope to help more New Zealand companies share the opportunities of the CIIE and better understand and enter the Chinese market," Yan says.

This year, New Zealand again had a strong showing, with a record 26 companies and 29 brands participating in categories including consumer goods, food and beverages, health supplements, home textiles and wine.

Goodfarmer Fresh Fruit Trading Corp, another company that has never missed a CIIE, set up a 300-square-meter booth to showcase its global sourcing capabilities and supply chain network. During the expo, the company globally debuted three fruit products, a move that underscores both its confidence in the Chinese market and its support for multilateral trade.

"Thanks to the CIIE's extended impact and its platform for global debuts, our previous new products have received strong market feedback in China, with sales multiplying several times," says Zeng Xiaoqing, deputy brand director of Goodfarmer.

"We are also increasing our investment in China. Three fresh-fruit and fresh-cut processing plants in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangdong province will all begin operations by the end of this year," Zeng adds.

Goodfarmer currently operates 32 distribution centers nationwide, covering 123 key cities and supplying 50,000 offline retail stores.

In Zeng's view, the CIIE has become an essential link between global suppliers and Chinese consumers, enriching households with high-quality fruits from around the world.

Fresh fruit producer and distributor Dole has also been a full-attendance exhibitor at the CIIE for eight years, launching 18 new products on the platform. Over the past seven editions, the company has signed intended orders worth several billion yuan. This year, it is expected to secure nearly 1 billion yuan ($140.7 million) in intended orders for the next three to five years, according to Yang Ziqiong, brand communication and marketing manager of Dole China.

Yang says she is confident in the expo's continued benefits — the company has already registered for the ninth edition.

Shenzhen-based Joy Wing Mau Group is another loyal participant and has seen the CIIE's influence grow since its inaugural year.

"We see the CIIE as an excellent platform for brand promotion and development. We also increasingly recognize its role as an international bridge, linking countries such as ASEAN nations, Chile, and Peru," says Lum Lee, vice-president of Joy Wing Mau Group.

The company operates fruit businesses in more than 40 countries and regions, including 24 involved in the Belt and Road Initiative. With the launch of the Chancay-Shanghai shipping route in December 2024, the transport time for its Peruvian blueberries has been reduced from 33 days to 23, further improving supply efficiency.

At the 8th CIIE, Freshippo, the grocery and fresh goods retail chain under Alibaba Group, reached a strategic cooperation agreement with Silver Fern Farms, a New Zealand-based processor, marketer and exporter of meat products. The companies signed an 80-million-yuan order and established Freshippo's first direct sourcing base for New Zealand beef and lamb.

"We have been in China for more than 20 years and have participated in all eight editions of the CIIE," says Lu Shengye, general manager of Silver Fern Farms in China. He describes the company's journey in three stages: initial curiosity and showcasing, confidence-building during the pandemic, and now deeper cooperation and future planning.

Lu adds that the company's business in China has grown about 12 percent this year, following an average annual growth of around 10 percent over the past three years.

"Our stable growth comes from entering the chilled meat sector early and partnering with outstanding retailers like Freshippo. This success is also thanks to platforms like the CIIE," he notes.

According to Chen Hua, general manager of fresh produce procurement at Freshippo, the products brought by exhibitors each year are improving in quality and becoming increasingly tailored to Chinese consumer preferences.

"Every year at the CIIE, we assess how well consumer demand aligns with supply. The total value of our contracts with overseas suppliers has grown by 40 to 50 percent annually. Currently, about half of the beef sold at Freshippo is imported, and roughly 50 percent of the fruit is imported," Chen says.

US-based Cargill marked its eighth year at the CIIE by presenting more than 100 innovative products and solutions, many making their global or China debut. Its exhibits covered the agricultural supply chain, animal nutrition and health, and food and beverage consumption.

"CIIE is not only a stage for us to showcase our innovation, but also an important platform for mutual empowerment and shared growth with the local market," says Guan Huili, president of Cargill China.

According to Guan, over the past seven editions, Cargill has signed cooperation agreements worth more than $30 billion. This year, the company is expected to sign several strategic procurement and cooperation agreements with partners in grains, beef, animal nutrition and health, metals, and other sectors. The total value of these agreements is expected to exceed $3 billion, further unlocking the collaborative potential of the CIIE platform.

Cargill currently operates more than 50 facilities across China, with total investment exceeding 50 billion yuan. Its network spans sales offices, manufacturing plants, innovation centers and service hubs, all designed to serve the evolving needs of the local market. In recent years, Cargill has continued to deepen and expand its footprint in China.