Better nutritional dairy products made more accessible at CIIE
China's diverse demands for nutritional dairy products and cheese have attracted dairy producers to extend offerings for niche tastes and scenarios.
The trend is fully reflected at the food exhibitions at the China International Import Expo.
Fonterra, New Zealand's largest dairy producer, said it is eyeing more local collaborations and new nutritional benefits to cater to evolving tastes.
Fonterra China CEO Teh-han Chow said at the CIIE that low-salt, high-protein and grass-fed are several of the important keywords for its products as consumers become more discerning and conscious of nutritional benefits.
Diverse demands for nutritional dairy products and cheese have enticed dairy producers to extend offerings for niche tastes and scenario.
"The CIIE certainly presents great opportunity for not just us but for a lot of companies to introduce products to the consumer, and the resumption and normalization of cross-border trade is favorable for us to take advantage of consumers' higher willingness to purchase imports," Chow said.
Dairy ingredients such as Egmont semihard cheese and Cheddarsan cheese with a parmesan flavor were highlighted at this year's expo as it keeps up with local dairy companies' preferences. With cheese, consumers aren't necessarily looking for the lowest price, but rather the nutritional benefits, he said.
"During events like this, when an increasing amount of players present new ideas, it really is a good challenge which forces us to be closer to the consumers' changing preferences," he added.
Brownes Cheese which first appeared at last year's CIIE is now presented with an official Chinese name.
Brownes Cheese, which first appeared at last year's CIIE, is now presented with an official Chinese name this year and is ready to enter the retail channel for supermarket shoppers amid rising demand for high-quality dairy offerings.
Natalie Sarich-Dayton, CEO and managing director of Brownes Dairy, said she was impressed by the size and vibrancy of the fair in her first visit.
She looks forward to the company's cheese being distributed to more supermarkets around the country.
"As consumers become adventurous and willing to try new things and start to enjoy natural cheese, we're also prepared to cater to their evolving demands," she added.
The introduction of fresh milk from New Zealand dairy firm Theland is an example of the beneficiary of trade facilitation, which opens up more opportunities for fresh imports.
Banking on a free trade agreement between China and New Zealand, which allows a faster import process, fresh products can reach Chinese tables as quickly as possible.
One of the examples is the introduction of fresh milk from New Zealand dairy firm Theland. The brand was first introduced at the CIIE in 2018 and since then it has witnessed progress in trade facilitation and a rising demand for dairy imports. The Jersey Fresh Milk offering at this year's fair is an upgrade with a higher protein content.
Theland has also fully leveraged the digital ecosystem, staging livestreaming from local farms which allows shoppers a clear traceability of imported products. China's online shopping channels also allow the dairy company to cover a broader region all the way to four- and five-tier cities.
