The booth of General Mills at the seventh China International Import Expo in Shanghai.[Photo/China Daily]
Through a variety of new products and multiple activities at the seventh China International Import Expo, which opened on Tuesday in Shanghai, American food giant General Mills has demonstrated its firm determination and confidence in the Chinese market.
"This is the third time General Mills is attending the CIIE. It is a high-quality opening-up platform, offering international brands like ours great opportunities to promote products and spur innovation," said Su Qiang, president and managing director of General Mills China.
"Moreover, it enables us to connect with more industry experts, partners and corporate leaders, to foster collaboration and build a consumer-centered food industry ecosystem in China," he said.
With the theme of "shaping the future together through the power of food", General Mills is showcasing a wide array of new products from its three major brands — Haagen-Dazs, Wanchai Ferry and Blue Buffalo at this year's expo.
The year 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of China-France diplomatic relations, and France is invited as the guest country of honor to the seventh CIIE.
In response to the cooperation mechanism "French farm to Chinese dining tables" proposed by the Chinese government in April 2023, Haagen-Dazs is presenting a collection of ice cream made in its factories in Arras, France, as well as a new winter menu featuring red velvet cheesecake and mint chocolate chip flavors.
As a household name in China, Wanchai Ferry has been committed to research and development and serving consumers safe, nutritious frozen food.
The brand held a launch event at the expo on Thursday, releasing two new products including Lucky Bag dumplings stuffed with cabbage, pork and shiitake as well as Crystal Fortune tangyuan, or glutinous rice balls.
Thursday also marked the "Start of Winter", the 19th solar term on the Chinese lunar calendar. "We hope these products can bring our consumers 'the first bite of fortune' for this winter," Su said.
Following the event, the president had a panel discussion with industry experts that day, sharing their insights into innovation and consumption trends.
For Blue Buffalo, the CIIE holds special significance. The premium pet food brand made its debut in China during the fourth CIIE in 2021. Su announced at the sixth CIIE in 2023 that the brand would enter the Chinese market.
This year, Blue Buffalo has introduced a more diverse product portfolio including Baby Blue, Wild Spirit and True Solutions, which utilize its unique LifeSource Bits technology to satisfy the different nutritional needs of pets.
It also released a pet food white paper on Wednesday in collaboration with the China Animal Health and Food Safety Alliance to support the sustainable development of the pet industry in China.
General Mills' business in China started in the early 1990s when Haagen-Dazs opened its first store on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai. Today, the company has established four modern production facilities, three central kitchens, one innovation technology quality center and hundreds of Haagen-Dazs stores around the country.
Su Qiang, president and managing director of General Mills China, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the booth.[Photo/China Daily]
"China is the irreplaceable growth engine and one of the most important overseas markets of General Mills," Su said. He added that their products have become a part of some Chinese consumers' lives and are emotionally connected with them.
"Behind our remarkable progress lies the consumer-centric innovation strategy, which enables us to deliver high-quality products to meet consumers' evolving demands," he said.
Su emphasized that the Chinese market is of great potential for consumer companies, considering its growing middle class, thriving digital economy, industrial upgrading and green initiatives. General Mills, with its three leading brands, is well-placed to capture the opportunities.
