China: Chinese snacks satiate global palates.

Storyline Chinese snacks satiate global palates Chinese exports of things like candy and salty snacks are seeing an increase in demand lately. At a food company in eastern China’s Quanzhou City, a batch of gummies is filtering through an assembly line, getting prepared for shipment overseas. The company says overseas markets now account for 70 percent of their total sales. Part of their success, the company director says, is due to their differentiated products, based on client preferences. Chen Shiping, Sales Director, Jinjiang Little Newton Food Industry Co., Ltd.: "Asian markets prefer flavors that are milder yet rich in fruitiness. In contrast, European and American markets favor intense sourness and sweetness. Regarding packaging, the US market prefers larger sizes—such as 150g, 170g, or even over 300g—whereas our smaller packaging formats are better suited for Asian markets." Another Quanzhou-based baked goods company says they’ve found success by securing two or three local distributors in New Zealand and by establishing a distribution presence from scratch in markets like the Philippines and Thailand. Xu Junhui, Deputy General Manager, Fujian Aixiangqin Food Co., Ltd.: "Our company has achieved 40% growth in the domestic market and 400% growth in overseas markets this year." Quanzhou is now home to 378 casual snack export enterprises. Customs data shows that food companies in the city exported 318 million U.S. dollars-worth of snacks in the first seven months of the year. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]