Understanding the food market in China

Overtaking the US in 2011, China remains the largest food and beverages market. The Chinese appreciate the products of the highest quality as well as the convenience of purchasing them. Nutritional habits in this Asian country differ from those of Europe. Moreover, there are significant differences among specific regions of China regarding food preferences. “Although China has a completely different food culture, the citizens of large cities are familiarised with western food, so we can offer our products, there” said Michael Bielewicz of ForCap Co. Ltd.

The food imports to China from the European Union accounts for 20% of total imports from the EU. Among the main European exporters of food products to China there are: France, Denmark and the Netherlands while Poland is the ninth.

Tomasz Pisula: The market of imported food is rapidly growing in China

“One of our first foreign trade offices has been established in Shanghai. It has already developed relations with Chinese business and will support numerous companies”, said President Pisula. “We develop the network of foreign offices of the Agency in about 70 locations around the world. This year, we plan to open 14 offices”, Pisula added.

During the training experts analysed the profile of the average consumer of imported food in China. As they argue, most of the clients who buy food from abroad derives from the middle class. “The garage consumer of imported food is an inhabitant of the big metropolis, focused on latest global trends”, said Bielewicz. By 2022 the middle class in China will grow to 100 million people”, he added.

On the second day of the training the mentoring session for Polish producers of food products was held. (Polish Investment and Trade Agency)