Roy Van Den Hurk, CEO of Milk New Zealand Dairy Limited, could be considered a "die-hard fan" of the China International Import Expo (CIIE). Except for a brief absence from one edition due to uncontrollable factors, he travels all the way from New Zealand to China every year specifically to attend this annual event.

Roy Van Den Hurk, CEO of Milk New Zealand Dairy Limited, attends the CIIE. Source: Theland

Known affectionately by his employees as the "Perpetual Motion Machine" for often standing for long periods at the booth, this New Zealand CEO draws his boundless energy from his deep affection for the CIIE. This unbreakable bond began at a critical moment when the CIIE helped Theland break through.

The Theland booth at the CIIE. Source: Theland

BREAKTHROUGH MOMENT: CUSTOMS CLEARANCE REDUCED FROM 8 DAYS TO 3 DAYS

In 2017, when Theland's fresh milk first entered the Chinese market, it faced challenges: the imported fresh milk had a shelf life of only 15 days, yet the logistics and customs clearance took 7 to 8 days, making it difficult to sell before expiration. 

The turning point came just as the CIIE emerged. 

To ensure efficient circulation of exhibits, customs and other government departments coordinated reforms, achieving "zero waiting" customs clearance for imported fresh milk. The logistics clearance time was reduced from 8 days to 3 days, creating the "72-hour farm-to-table" miracle. This not only allowed Theland's fresh milk to reach Chinese consumers fresh but also gave Roy a clear view of the immense potential of the Chinese market. His "CIIE journey" thus began with determination.

According to Yan Zhijun, Marketing Director of Theland Asia Pacific, Roy not only flies from New Zealand each year to attend the CIIE, but before each CIIE, he can hardly contain his excitement, actively holding video conferences with the Chinese team to meticulously discuss preparations. "Which new and old friends should we meet? How should we promote this year's global debut products?" Roy's enthusiasm for participating in the CIIE is always evident.

LEAP FORWARD: FROM "EMERGING" TO "IN DEMAND"

For Theland, the CIIE is not just a stage; it acts like a powerful booster, driving the company from emerging to a meteoric rise in the Chinese market.

With the help of various facilitation measures at the CIIE, Theland's fresh milk quickly achieved a sales breakthrough in the Chinese market, increasing from 3,000 bottles per week to a peak of 80,000 bottles per week, 26 times the amount before participating in the CIIE.

The "spillover effect" of the CIIE continues to be released, and Theland's market reach and speed have been continuously enhanced. The 72-hour fresh milk and 4.0 high-quality protein milk debuted at the CIIE quickly achieved "rapid penetration" from Shanghai to China's tier-five and six cities and towns in just three months. From Pingluo county in Ningxia to the "northernmost land" of Mohe in Heilongjiang, and south to the Hainan Free Trade Port, supermarkets of all sizes across various regions can now simultaneously stock the "CIIE-edition" Theland milk.

"This channel penetration efficiency has improved more than tenfold compared to traditional paths," Yan said. "The CIIE is like a nationwide network efficiently woven, truly opening up the gateway for products to reach billions of consumers."

Yan Zhijun, Marketing Director of Theland AsiaPacific, receives an interview.

The leap-forward development is also reflected in the upgrade of brand strategy. Leveraging the CIIE as an "excellent window into the Chinese market," Theland not only secured a large number  of high-quality orders but also accurately grasped market trends, continuously enriching its product line. From defining the speed of fresh milk with "72 hours" to the innovative debut of high-end 4.0 protein milk, each appearance at the CIIE is a dazzling display of Theland's brand vitality.

According to the company, now, one in every three UHT PACKS of milk exported from New Zealand to China comes from Theland. Roy said, "the CIIE has helped us achieve a leap in brand development, which is why I am committed to attending."

SHARED OPPORTUNITIES: FROM "BLOOMING ALONE" TO "BLOOMING TOGETHER"

"A single flower does not make spring; a hundred flowers in bloom bring spring to the garden." The CIIE not only opened the door to the vast Chinese market for Theland but also paved a path for shared opportunities from "blooming alone" to "blooming together".

Looking back at Theland's CIIE journey, each year has its unique keyword: "CIIE Speed", "CIIE Effect", "CIIE Professionalism", "CIIE Green", "CIIE Low-Carbon", "CIIE Openness", "CIIE New Quality"… Among them, "CIIE Openness" sounded the horn for over 10 New Zealand SMEs to gather at Theland's booth.

"Theland has grown with the CIIE, knowing well that many New Zealand local SMEs are eager to hop on the 'CIIE express' but lack the means, so we proactively offered this opportunity for free," Roy said.

From "blooming alone" to "blooming together", the seeds of sharing sown by Theland on the fertile ground of the CIIE are now flourishing. Those SMEs that once made their debut under Theland's wing have begun to exhibit independently at the 7th CIIE.

"This has formed a virtuous circle effect," Yan said. New Zealand Manuka honey brand Richora is one such beneficiary. After launching high-end products at the CIIE, the company quickly opened-up the Chinese market.

The CIIE is committed to becoming a key gateway for global products, including national brands and unique international specialties, to enter the Chinese market. Companies like Theland, which are longstanding "old friends" and consistent participants of the expo, are not only exhibitors accompanying the event but also partners working alongside the organizers. Together, they are committed to the vision of "New Era, Shared Future", facilitating the efficient connection of global goods with the Chinese market and ensuring that the benefits of openness extend to the world.

Roy's CIIE journey continues. This New Zealand elder, who had never set foot in China before the CIIE, is now enamored with the splendor of the Bund and the poetic charm of Jiangnan's water towns through this "window to China". To better communicate in China, Roy's notebook is densely filled with pinyin.

The profound Chinese culture has also become a source of inspiration for his product development. After encountering the TCM concept of "food and medicine from the same source" at the CIIE's intangible cultural heritage display area, Roy was deeply inspired and urged his team to integrate this Eastern wisdom into the R&D and upgrading process of innovative products for middle-aged and elderly groups, such as colostrum milk powder, probiotic milk powder, and milk calcium.

"In 2025, our keyword will be 'CIIE Upgrade'," Roy said. From the 4.0 upgrade based on dual grass-fed standards to the new product matrix upgrade focusing on the "silver economy", and the digital upgrade of cross-ocean traceability from New Zealand pastures to Chinese tables, the open melody has already begun. Roy believes that Theland's future CIIE journey is bound to be exciting and splendid.

Disclaimer

The information in this article is compiled from materials provided by relevant parties participating in the CIIE and media reports,  with the CIIE Bureau objectively compiling relevant content. The CIIE Bureau does not take responsibility for disputes or losses arising from the following circumstances: deviations in expression due to outdated information updates; readers' subjective judgments or actions based on this article; unauthorized alteration or dissemination of the content by third parties.