The fifth China International Import Expo (CIIE) began on Nov 5 in Shanghai. As New Zealand's leading producer and exporter of premium beef, lamb and venison, Silver Fern Farms is attending the CIIE for the fifth consecutive year. With the theme "Inspired by Nature", Silver Fern Farms is showcasing a wide range of premium natural grass-fed red meat products that meet China's growing demand for high-quality red meat. At its CIIE booth, Silver Fern Farms is also sharing its achievements in sustainable development.

Silver Fern Farms' booth at the fifth CIIE. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

In light of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand, this year's CIIE is especially significant to Silver Fern Farms. As a New Zealand brand, Silver Fern Farms is presenting with two booths for the first time this year: CIIE Food and Agricultural Products Pavilion and New Zealand National Pavilion.

Silver Fern Farms' booth at the fifth CIIE. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Simon Limmer, Silver Fern Farms chief executive, said, "as Chinese residents' incomes increase and the middle class continues to grow, we have seen increasingly more Chinese consumers demanding premium-quality beef, lamb and venison as part of their diets. We will continue to deepen our efforts in China and leverage the CIIE as an opportunity to connect more closely with Chinese consumers and tailor our premium products to suit their varied lifestyles".

Grass-fed retail packaged venison products debut in China, accelerating the process of "Turning Exhibits into Retail Products"

This CIIE, Silver Fern Farms is launching the full range of its grass-fed branded retail packaged venison products for the first time in China, including flap cubes (two sizes), shanks, ribs, strip loins and French racks. Prior to this debut, Silver Fern Farms venison products were mainly available in primal packs. Last year, Silver Fern Farms exhibited a retail packaged venison gift box, which attracted a great deal of attention from Chinese customers and consumers. Now with this launch, Silver Fern Farms venison is available in smaller sizes suitable for home cooking, bringing this new low-fat, high-protein, healthy and versatile choice directly to Chinese consumers through more channels.

Alex Wang, Silver Fern Farms China Country Manager, said, "Silver Fern Farms has been selling in China for more than 20 years, and we have always prioritized the needs of this market and its consumers. The CIIE is an incubator for foreign enterprises' development and a boon for the majority of Chinese consumers. We adhere to the efficient approach of 'turning exhibits into retail products' and will continue to work with local partners to innovate and launch a wider offering that caters to local dining preferences, meeting China's needs in high-end food services and home cooking".

In addition, Silver Fern Farms continues to exhibit ready-to-cook (RTC) products this year. Emerging trends of a higher focus on work and smaller families have led to a decreased amount of time for home cooking, driving the demand for RTC products. To meet every consumer's pursuit of high-quality, delicious, healthy and nutritious food, Silver Fern Farms will collaborate with its China market partners to continuously optimize its RTC dishes. We look forward to officially launching quality grass-fed red meat RTC gourmet that are nutritious, healthy and catered to local consumer tastes.

Silver Fern Farms' quality grass-fed red meat products. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Leading the industry's sustainable transformation

New Zealand has a relatively small population but an extensive natural environment which means their animals are raised year-round on pasture, with the ability to roam and graze freely. Last year, Silver Fern Farms was awarded New Zealand's highest local environmental certification, the Toitū Enviromark Diamond Certification. This certification demonstrates Silver Fern Farms' leadership in environmental governance in the industry, and how it will continue to lead its communities, suppliers and customers to further reduce the environmental impact of the red meat sector.

Enhancing cooperation and deepening China market commitment

Through the platform of the CIIE, Silver Fern Farms has signed strategic cooperation agreements with many leading Chinese food service providers and food trading enterprises over the past four years. Last year, onsite signings were equivalent to over 130 million yuan ($18.00 million) in value, setting a record for the highest onsite signings for Silver Fern Farm at the CIIE.

This year, Silver Fern Farms will continue to hold a cooperation signing ceremony to deepen its strategic cooperation with Sushi, Lianhao and Paradise Garden. It will also embark on a new cooperation with its partner Dingdong, an on-demand e-commerce company providing grocery deliveries, expanding its Chinese market footprint and bringing pure goodness from New Zealand to more Chinese consumers. The business volume is expected to reach 50 million yuan by 2023.