Han Ximin

    ximhan@126.com

    A MEETING for Portuguese food brands, the First Portuguese Gourmet Exhibition, a warm-up for the opening of the World Food City in Shenzhen, was held Monday, attracting 75 Portuguese food companies and nearly 300 local food buyers.

    The meeting was organized by the Associacao De Jovens Empresarios Portugal-China, DCH Logistics Co. Ltd. and Chateau Mary France Wine Co. Ltd., and offered 1,000 bottles of top brand Portuguese wine, spirits and delicacies, bringing an in-depth tasting experience to customers and a better understanding of Portuguese wine.

    “With a burgeoning middle class, China is now the biggest consumer of red wine in the world and holds real potential for world winemakers. Building up the reputation of Portuguese winemakers in the Chinese market has been an important part for our strategy,” Alberto Carvalho Neto, president of the Associacao De Jovens Empresarios Portugal-China, said at an interview.

    The four organizers, including World Food City, form a whole business chain for wine and food exports from farmers in Portugal to Chinese consumers.

    China has become a leading consumer of red wine in the world, and a recent report showed that China is the second-largest importer of high-priced wines. From 2006 to 2012, Chinese demand for high-priced wine grew consistently by 50 percent each year. According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the growth is expected to continue, increasing to as much as 60 percent by 2017.

    Chateau Mary France Wine Co. Ltd., a Shenzhen-based company founded in 2008, organized the Portuguese food companies at the meeting.

    “Portugal is a country rich in wine, with a large area of farmland, plenty of sunshine, excellent brewing techniques, and a long history. Many winemakers show a strong interest in, and are eager to tap into, the Chinese market. That is why we are acting as a distributor for Portuguese companies,” said Meko Tam, a sales and marketing staff member with Chateau Mary France Wine Co. Ltd.

    Shenzhen World Food City Investment Co. Ltd., which will open in June next year, is expected to be the largest imported food outlet in China.

    With a floor space of 200,000 square meters in Lilang, Buji Subdistrict, Longgang District, the venue will offer a variety of imported food from different countries. The 3-billion-yuan project includes office buildings and apartment buildings. A six-floor trade center will offer 100,000 square meters for imported products. It will display global food brands on the first floor and open trade pavilions arranged by different continents between the second and fifth floor. The sixth floor will be dedicated to foods and specialties from Chinese mainland cities.