Green firms in limelight as lifestyle focus rises in China

According to the CIIE Bureau, more than 400,000 professional visitors have registered for the expo, and around 70 percent of the leading companies in the respective sectors were repeat exhibitors.

Osborne, a 248-year-old Spanish food group, is among the companies that have returned this year. "We appreciate the opportunity to reach out to a large number of people from all over the country," said Jose Iniguez, general manager of its China branch.

Iniguez added that the expo allows the company to promote its products to a wide cross-section of people, especially those from outside Shanghai.

The group established its China branch in Shanghai five years ago and its premium Iberian ham 5J Cinco Jotas is a top-seller at several Michelin restaurants in the city.

Although consumers who appreciate fine dining are concentrated in the first-tier cities, Iniguez sees huge potential in the second-and third-tier cities as more Chinese people have traveled abroad and are open to eating high-quality foreign foods.

"China on many levels has surpassed other countries in terms of technology and production. However, food products are difficult to source due to the different agricultural land and climatic conditions. The imported food market in China offers the biggest potential possible for any company in the world," he said.

"In addition, Chinese consumers are really keen to try high-quality products, which makes it even more attractive for us, not only because of the size but also due to the way people think about food."