Podravka recently participated in a food fair in China.
Podravka, whose most popular products can already be found on shelves in shops in Beijing and Shanghai, participated in this year’s Chinese Fair of Food Products and Services – FHC China, reports Nacional on November 13, 2016.
The fair brought together over 2,000 exhibitors from as many as 66 countries. Among them were international suppliers who sell in the most populous country in the world, as well as international brands which originated from China. This year’s edition of the fair focused on buyers of quality imported products, as well as food products and beverages which are not produced in China.
Podravka’s office in China is headed by Goran Kapičić and was opened in January 2015 in Beijing. If we take into account the fact that Croatia, in relation to China and its market, is quite a small country whose entire population would not even make it one of the top 20 of the most populated cities in China, the success of Podravka in just one year can be regarded as impressive.
Its products are present in a series of major chain stores in Beijing and Shanghai that specialize in imported goods and are regularly frequented by foreigners living in those cities, as well as members of China’s middle and upper classes who have more available income. Chinese buyers can choose between Studena water, Podravka’s jams and marmalades, Linolada cream spreads, pastas and sauces, instant soups and Lino cereal products.
According to the Podravka’s office, it is expected that in the next few weeks additional contracts will be signed with two chains which are present in many parts of the two major Chinese cities.
In addition, the largest Croatian food company has used the opportunity to use online sales, which is a very popular sales channel in China. About a month and a half ago, Podravka opened its virtual store on the Chinese website taobao.com, which is Chinese counterpart of eBay and Amazon, and which is managed by Alibaba Group, one of the world’s largest Internet sellers. There, consumers can find all Podravka products which are registered to be sold in China. During the first week of operations, Podravka offered its products for sale with substantially reduced prices.
