Exporters will be flying the flag for UK pork and beef at two major events in China this month – marking the first international showcasing since the pandemic.
On Thursday, the 18th China International Meat Industry Exhibition 2020 (CIMIE 2020) will take place at the Qingdao Cosmopolitan Exposition – bringing buyers from all across Asia.
Organised by the China Meat Association and the International Meat Secretariat, the two-day event is one of the most professional shows in China for the meat industry.
This will be followed by Asia’s largest food and drink innovation exhibition, SIAL China, which takes place in Shanghai from September 28 – 30.
Celebrating its 20th anniversary, this year’s show sets the benchmark for overseas companies stepping into Asia and China as well as providing valuable market insights, trends and innovations in the regional food industry.
The UK's AHDB will have a stand at both events, hosted by locally employed staff member Holly Chen who supports the organisation in the local marketplace in a partnership with the China Britain Business Council (CBBC).
Due to travel restrictions as a result of Covid-19, five UK exporters will be promoting their high-quality pork and beef through videos and virtual platforms.
The exporters will also be using their regional staff to showcase their offering to local importers.
AHDB export manager, Susan Stewart said: “These shows represent the first time this year that we have been able to reconnect our exporters with key influential buyers in China due to the ongoing challenges of Covid-19.
“China is a hugely important market for our pork exports and it is vital that we maintain our strong relationship with buyers and continue to fly the flag for our red meat, especially as we are on the cusp of shipping beef to China for the first time in over 20 years.”
Last year, Chinese government officials signed a protocol agreement to ship beef from the UK for the first time in 20 years marking the end of a ban following the BSE outbreak.
The deal is estimated to be worth around £230 million over the first five years.
