Global players taking advantage of opportunities ahead of the 4th international trade event

Businesses from consumer goods sectors hope to capitalize on more growth opportunities stemming from the success of the China International Import Expo.

The first matchmaking session of the fourth CIIE was held on Thursday, attracting some 50 exhibitors and 100 buyers from the consumer goods industry.

At the event, many exhibitors, including Fortune 500 companies and leading industry players, said they are optimistic about future growth in the Chinese market, and the CIIE is becoming indispensable for expanding brand recognition.

Among them is DeLonghi, one of the world's leading players in small domestic appliances, with products associated with kitchenware, coffee, air conditioning, and home care. At the third CIIE, its latest coffee machine gained wide attention.

"So far, China is one of the fastest growing markets for the group, and it is the focus for our future development," said Zong Yanping, managing director of DeLonghi China.

Zong said he is very confident in future growth in China as the demand for coffee in the country has been gradually forming and the industry has seen steady growth in recent years.

"The CIIE is a very important platform to help us improve brand awareness, and more consumers can learn more about our products," Zong said.

Zong said DeLonghi is planning to develop more products tailored for the Chinese market and meet the needs of Chinese consumers.

It will aim more of its products at young consumers, and help them learn more about Italian coffee.

At this year's CIIE, DeLonghi will launch a new machine, allowing consumers to fully experience the joy of making traditional Italian coffee, according to Zong.

Tang Xiaodong, president of Karcher China, echoed the same sentiment.

The German company, a fourth-time exhibitor at the CIIE, will increase its exhibition area to more than 800 square meters.

"China has become one of the most important markets for us," Tang said. "The CIIE is a shared trading platform, and it provides us with new channels for business exchange and cooperation."

Tang added that the benefits and spillover effect of the CIIE motivates the company to continue participating in the annual expo.

In 2020, its business in China had a 40 percent increase year-on-year. Early this year, it increased investment by 100 million ($15.34 million) yuan to further take advantage of the growth opportunities in China.

At the fourth CIIE, Karcher will exhibit more customized solutions for different cleaning scenarios and meet different needs.

With the rising demands in the cleaning industry in China, the company plans to increase its market share in China to 20 percent by 2025 from the current 5 percent, according to Tang.

"In addition to giving customers a deep understanding of our brand and our diversified products, the CIIE helps Kai to enter more markets in the country," said Hiroaki Watanabe, general manager of Shanghai Kai Trade.

According to Watanabe, the Japanese brand will bring more products to the professional trade expo this year. In addition to household products, kitchen knives and beauty tools, Kai will also display its tailor scissors, medical scalpels and industrial specialized blades.

Kai will hold online live broadcasts, allowing people who cannot visit the site to learn about their exhibits, he said.

At present, about 50 percent of group's sales come from overseas markets, and in the future Kai will focus on China as it strengthens the development of its Asian market, according to Watanabe.

"We also hope to continue maintaining good quality, developing more products meeting the demand of the Chinese market, and bringing better experiences to Chinese consumers," said Watanabe.

"At the CIIE, we can better learn the actual needs of consumers, and we receive first-hand feedback on products and consumer experiences," said Jia Bin, vice-president of BSH China.

"Each year, we launch new products at the CIIE, and we hope we can bring our innovative products to consumers through the CIIE," Jia said.

According to Jia, the company will highlight environmentally friendly and smart home appliances this year, as part of its efforts to promote the trend of green and sustainable consumption.

The company is also the chair of the special committee for green and smart home appliances of the fourth CIIE.

At the matchmaking session, luxury goods conglomerate LVMH announced it will participate in the fourth CIIE with more than 10 brands.

"The COVID-19 pandemic reminds us of the relationship between humans and nature. This year, LVMH will highlight environmental protection and sustainable development. It hopes to deliver the concept of sustainability through the CIIE," said Andrew Wu, president of LVMH greater China.

This year, the Shanghai government will continue organizing a professional trade mission of 150,000 people to make purchases at the CIIE. It will also improve and expand purchasing scales and carry out various activities to boost trade. Exhibition and trade platforms that run year-around will be set up for CIIE exhibitors, according to Shen Weihua, deputy director of Shanghai Commerce Commission.