China targeted by UK food businesses

19-Nov-2018 - Last updated on 19-Nov-2018 at 14:04 GMT

UK food and drink businesses visited China as part of an export trade mission

UK food and drink businesses have been on a charm offensive in China as part of a trade mission organised by the Department for International Trade (DIT), Santander UK and the China-Britain Business Council (CBBC).

Companies that attended the trade mission included Thatchers Cider, Luscombe Drinks, Moo Free Chocolate, Super 7 Wholesale, Finsbury Food, Kavli and Indulgence Patisserie.

The trip included a visit to Food and Hotel China Shanghai, a trade show for international companies looking to secure new trading relationships with local buyers and capitalise on the growing demand for UK goods from Chinese consumers. The firms also visited Beijing and Hangzhou where they were able to meet major retailers, buyers and distributors, with a view to exporting to China. The trade mission was run in partnership with DIT, which hosted a British Food and Drink festival in Shanghai.

The China mission was part of Santander UK’s regular series of international trade missions across a range of UK sectors that help businesses export and capitalise on trade opportunities.

Dennis Lin, China director of Santander Corporate & Commercial, said: “The Chinese food and drinks market is one of the largest in the world and is continuing to grow as cities develop, and people, become more affluent. For British food and drink businesses, the appeal is considerable as ‘Brand Britain’ is extremely well-received in China, with our food seen as best-in-class.

“For businesses looking to expand into China, it is important to have a good understanding of the local market. Santander can help SMEs identify the best buyers, retailers and routes-to-market as we have a strong presence in the region and excellent local knowledge.”

According to recent Food and Drink Federation data, UK sales to China almost doubled between 2015 and 2017.