SPC strikes first-time China export partnership deal

Posted by Andrea Hogan on 29th January 2018

L-R Tim Dillon (Commissioner-Greater China, Victorian State Government), Reg Weine (MD, SPC), Zhou Xianbiao (President, CSFA Group Corporation), Zhao Qingyong (GM, CSFA Holdings Shanghai)

SPC is set to soon begin exporting its products to China for the first time after striking a local business partnership.

Exporting through a partnership with China State Farm Agribusiness Shanghai (CSFA Shanghai), both SPC and Goulburn Valley preserved fruit products will soon be available in China.

SPC Managing Director, Reg Weine, said China represents a significant business opportunity for SPC in the years ahead.

“In our 100th year, we are thrilled to be able to bring our premium Goulburn Valley and SPC packaged fruit to the largest consumer market in the world,” Weine said.

CSFA Shanghai will be SPC’s “master distributor” in China with CSFA organising staff, sales and marketing to build the brand in China.

SPC’s products will be pitched at China’s growing middle class and well-known Chinese celebrity, Ye Yiqian, has already been started work as a brand ambassador.

“Ye Yiqian has already injected a great amount of personality and style into our brands ahead of our launch into the Chinese market,” Weine said.

High-end plans

Within China, SPC plans to sell its products through high-end supermarkets, speciality retailers and leading on-line platforms.

“It’s about taking our market leading brands into markets where provenance plays a part and there is a large enough consumer segment that is affluent and willing to pay a premium for Australian produce,” Weine said.

“The Chinese market is five times the size of the Australian processed fruit market, which makes this a huge opportunity.”

SPC first began exporting overseas 90 years ago. Regions SPC have exported to over the years have included the USA, UK, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and the Middle East.

In 2018, SPC is celebrating 100 years of operation, a feat it nearly did not achieve after nearly falling out of business in 2014. Coca-Cola Amatil is the current own of the SPC brand.

 

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