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By Ben Arnold O. de Vera, Researcher
“Fancy” Filipino food has caught the interest of Chinese
consumers, which was seen during a recent business mission
participated by local food producers, the Department of Trade and
Industry (DTI) said.
In the business mission to Guangzhou and
Shenzhen in China, Filipino food manufacturers noted that crab paste
and laing (gabi leaves cooked in coconut milk) were popular among
the Chinese.
According to Rosemarie Castillo, DTI’s
business development manager for food, crab paste and laing are
considered “fancy food” by young and middle-aged Chinese
consumers. These Filipino food products are eaten as delicious
spreads or toppings for biscuits and bread, she said.
Other ready-to-eat foods, including banana chips
and polvoron, were also a hit among the Chinese. Tropical fruit
juices, concentrates and purees, such as kalamansi, coconut and
mango, also caught the interest of many Chinese consumers.
This business mission generated an initial
projected sales of $230,736 for delivery in the next six months, or
$307,648 in the next eight months, according to DTI. Negotiations
between Philippine food exporters who participated in this mission
and buyers from China for further product development are ongoing.
But Chinese buyers suggested that the packaging
of these Filipino food products should be improved, especially those
intended for retail sale. The buyers recommended that kalamansi
juice should be in tetra packs instead of cans. They also suggested
that food package labels should be in Chinese and adhere to
China’s food and health standards.
The Filipino food companies that participated in
this food business mission to China include Agrinurture Inc., Asap
Tagudin (Samahan ng Magkakalamansi Development Cooperative), Fams
Food Products-Villamater, Master J. Food Products, Navarro Food
International Inc., Padday Na Lima Marketing Association and Sasmuan
Delicacies.
The Bureau of Export Trade Promotion and the
Philippine Trade and Investment Center in Guang-zhou organized this
mission, which is a DTI initiative to step up presence in the
Chinese market.
In 2006, China was the 10th biggest export
destination for Philippine food products, with shipments totaling
$50.15 million. Major Philippine food exports to China include fresh
and processed fruits, confectionery and honey, and marine products.
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