Asiafruit Market Insight, Asiafruit’s China conference event, heads to Shanghai on 20-22 May to focus on growth opportunities for the fresh produce business at regional and national levels.
Shanghai’s evolution as a gateway to the fast-growing China market, the future of food retail channels, and the competitive effect of imports on domestic production are three of the key themes up for discussion at this year’s event, and a number of expert speakers are lined up to share their expert insights.
China’s e-commerce boom has been grabbing the headlines when it comes to consumer marketing in China, but there are also some exciting growth stories for traditional supermarket stores. Jason Xu, general manager of importer-distributor Shanghai Supafresh, which operates across a range of retail channels, from e-commerce to premium fruit stores, will discuss some of the latest market trends in a panel discussion entitled ‘Retail future: online versus bricks-and-mortar’. He’ll be joined by Huiyong Yu, president of specialist greengrocer chain Pagoda, which has opened more than 850 stores over the past two years, and is targeting 15,000 stores across China by 2030.
Shanghai’s fresh fruit imports have grown ten-fold in ten years, and further rapid growth is projected as the commercial capital positions itself as a gateway to the fast-growing demand from the hinterland of the Yangtze River Delta and beyond.
Kurt Huang, general manager of Shanghai Oheng Import & Export Co, will lead a session looking at how the logistical infrastructure is evolving in Shanghai to handle that growth, right from port operations to wholesale market facilities. Having worked in fresh fruit customs clearance and logistics for more than ten years, Huang has first-hand experience of direct fresh fruit imports to Shanghai. Steven Fang of China Eastern Logistics, which has played a pioneering role in chartering direct air shipments of cherries from Chile and the US to China, will also discuss the future of airfreight in meeting the country’s surging import demand.
The final session of Asiafruit Market Insight examines the competitive effect of fresh produce imports on China’s own fruit and vegetable industries. Lew Dagger of Yunnan Management will discuss the opportunities and challenges for domestic producers when it comes to capitalising on the burgeoning market for high-quality produce among Chinese consumers. Dagger has lived and worked in China for almost ten years on a number of horticultural projects, from the development of the Yunnan Red Pear to the introduction and development of the Pink Lady apple trademark in China – and he’ll explain how international companies and suppliers of imported fruits can engage more effectively with domestic industries.
Other sessions at Asiafruit Market Insight will look at new sourcing opportunities for Chinese buyers, the future of the country’s table grape market and at how to capitalise on growth opportunities in tier-two and -three cities.
After kicking off with a Welcome Reception on 20 May sponsored by Lantao, Asiafruit Market Insight’s conference programme runs throughout the day on 21 May, concluding with a Gala Cocktail hosted by Platinum Sponsor Naturipe. The event wraps up on 22 May with a study tour programme taking in leading retail and wholesale operations in Shanghai.
