Hong Kong – According to the US Department of Commerce, consumers in Hong Kong and China are eating and drinking their way through US$2 billion worth of Californian fine wines, health & organic foods and fresh produce annually. As growth in the Hong Kong market continues, consumers in China are in the midst of a surge in demand for raw and manufactured produce from the sunshine state.
Participating in the annual Food Expo 2013 at booth B08-B14, Hall 5F, The USA Pavilion, leading Californian food and beverage producers will be looking to increase market share with products that match the taste buds of sophisticated diners in Hong Kong and China.
At the helm of California’s surging exports is Jeff Williamson, Director, California State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) who commented:
''Hong Kong and China are two very important markets for California and the growth has been phenomenal. With food and beverage exports hitting US$2.5 billion, far from waning, the appetite for Californian produce by consumers is increasing – especially in China where growth is surging faster than ever before.
Food Expo 2013 will see Californian exporters showcasing quality-assured food and beverage products and conduct food and wine tasting sessions throughout the show. Olive oil, pistachios, spicy wines, and other uncooked and manufactured food items will all be available for sampling.
One area that continues to do very well is the Californian nut industry and the nut that the Chinese refer to as ‘The Happy Nut’ i.e. the pistachio. Chinese consumers are turning more and more towards Californian pistachios for their natural produce and unbleached shells. In fact, China consumes 17% of California’s pistachio crop.
There will be an estimated 1.78 billion snack-eating families globally in 2018 and the pistachio is an integral part of Chinese snacking culture especially during festival. This year, the Californian pistachio crop will be 500 million pounds (approximately 226 million kilos) and by 2018 this is forecast to double.''
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About California STEP
The California State Trade and Export Promotion (California STEP) project leverages a statewide network of state, federal, private and non-profit trade promotion organizations to facilitate export promotion, activities, serving targeted industries, to drive exports for small businesses.
Managed by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office Centers for International Trade Development (CITD), the network of STEP Partners implement a range of export promotion programs (20 trade missions and activities for 2011-2012) serving multiple sectors, including: Information & Telecommunications Technologies, Green Technologies, Food and Agricultural Products, California Lifestyle Products, Water Technologies, Scientific Instrumentation, Transportation Equipment and Industrial Machinery.
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Issued on behalf of California State Trade and Export Promotion by Newell Public Relations.
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