A supply-demand matchmaking event for the dairy and agricultural products at the food and agricultural products exhibition area of the seventh China International Import Expo took place in Shanghai on May 16.

Over 20 dairy and agricultural product exhibitors were in attendance, including Fonterra, Dole, and Lesaffre. Additionally, major food distribution and production companies such as Bailian Group and Bright Food Group, as well as e-commerce platforms and supermarket buyers also participated in the event.

Addressing the attendees, Wu Zhengping, deputy director-general of the CIIE Bureau, highlighted China's status as the world's largest importer of food products. He noted that the food and agricultural products exhibition area boasted the highest number of exhibitors from the widest range of countries over the past six editions.

According to Wu, the booked exhibition space of the food and agricultural exhibition area at the seventh CIIE has already exceeded 80 percent of the planned area.

Buniga Chamsai, deputy director-general of the department of trade negotiations at Thailand's Ministry of Commerce, expressed gratitude for the matchmaking event, which provided Thai dairy cooperatives and producers with a platform to connect with Chinese importers, dairy producers, trade representatives, and agricultural producers.

She emphasized that China is Thailand's second-largest market for dairy products and expressed that Thai producers hope to increase their presence in the Chinese market through the CIIE.

As a representative of the agricultural products special committee of the CIIE Enterprise Alliance, Jerome Vanachter, president of Lesaffre Greater China, shared the benefits his company has gained from participating in the CIIE and introduced Lesaffre's product range and solutions to the attending buyers.

A group photo of attendees at the event. [Photo/CIIE Bureau]

Exhibitors show their products at the event. [Photo/CIIE Bureau]

By Zhao Guangmei