Coles to use import expo in Shanghai to spruik meat trade

Coles will take advantage of this week’s import expo in Shanghai to boost its meat exports to China.

A officer guards Shanghai’s National Exhibition and Convention Centre, main venue of the China International Import Expo. Picture: AFP

Supermarket giant Coles wants to leverage this week’s import expo in Shanghai to boost its meat exports to China.

China is one of the sponsors of the Australian pavilion at President Xi Jinping’s first import expo, an event — which gets under way in Shanghai today — that will see more than 80 countries represented and more than 2800 companies pitching their wares to the world’s second-largest economy.

“Coles has been exporting meat to Asia for more than 20 years and China is already our biggest market,” Coles chief operating officer Greg Davis told The Australian yesterday.

“Demand for quality Australian foods in China is increasing every year.

“The expo is a great opportunity for us to put the best of Australia’s produce before one of the fastest-growing consumer markets in the world.”

Both Coles and Woolworths are sponsors of the Australian pavilion at the expo, using the event to promote a range of their food brands into China.

“At the Coles stand in Shanghai this week our team will be showcasing the fantastic products our Aussie farmers and suppliers produce like hormone-free beef, exclusive Australian wines and Coles grocery lines including Australian honey, nuts, breakfast cereal and cleaning products,” Mr Davis said.

Beef exports to china - tonnes

Australia’s beef export market to China is now worth more than $1 billion.

The industry is hoping an agreement signed between then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and Premier Li Keqiang last year will allow greater exports of chilled beef into the market.

Other sponsors of the Australian pavilion at the expo include ANZ, Blackmores, Bellamy’s, Telstra, Thomas Foods and mining companies BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue.

Other companies with a strong presence include Australia Post, Qantas, Freedom Foods, Capilano Honey, almond company Select Harvests, and Swisse.

Business leaders expected to ­attend include Australia Post chief executive Christine Holgate, Blackmores executive director Marcus Blackmore and chief executive Richard Henfrey, Fortescue chief executive Elizabeth Gaines and Bellamy’s boss Andrew Cohen and chairman John Ho.

Select Harvests will also be hoping to use the expo to boost its sales of almonds to China. Australia’s largest almond producer has already benefited from the US-China trade wars. Higher Chinese tariffs on imports of almonds from California, the world’s largest producer of the nuts, have helped to boost sales of Select Harvests’ products.

The expo will be opened this morning by Mr Xi, who is ­expected to use his speech to pitch China as being open for business with the rest of the world and keen to buy foreign products and looking for more foreign investment.

At a time when China is under pressure from rising protectionist sentiment in the US, Mr Xi will use the event to paint China as a champion of the world trade order and supporter of freer trade.

Australia has a substantial presence at the event, with its delegation led by Trade Minister Simon Birmingham and supported by business leaders and representatives of most Australian states. Australia is planning to showcase some 150 different product brands at the expo, making it one of the major exhibitors.

A number of Australian companies are expected to announce trade deals or memorandums of understanding with Chinese buyers at the expo this week.

The president of the Australia China Business Council, John Brumby, said the event was important for Australia given the opportunities presented by the rising middle class in China.

“As China shifts to consumption-led growth, a raft of new opportunities are opening up,” Mr Brumby said.