SHANGHAI, CHINA – Last week, USA Rice exhibited at the Shanghai Global Food Trade Show (FHC), the leading comprehensive exhibition platform for the food and catering industries in China. More than 3,000 exhibitors were at the three-day trade event.
Displays at the USA Rice booth included U.S. long grain, Jasmine rice, brown rice, purple rice, and U.S. rice retail packages from Hong Kong. Also, retail packages of medium grain and sweet rice made their debut at the show. Two-pound packages of medium grain and five-pound packages of sweet rice attracted great interest among visitors as research suggests the target audience prefers small-packaged rice.
“USA Rice launched a newly made U.S. rice liquor at the FHC, brewed from U.S. long-grain with a rich aroma and a smooth taste that was well received,” said Sarah Moran, COO of USA Rice who attended the trade show.
Local Celebrity Chef Alex helped staff the USA Rice booth, conducting tasting activities featuring U.S. long grain, medium grain, and purple rice, including a rice pineapple cocktail, purple rice chips with smoked salmon, purple rice with mango and coconut juice, and Calrose. The demonstration was a hit with attendees queuing up in long lines to sample the different dishes and drinks, attesting to their popularity.
Among the many visitors at the USA Rice booth was Alexander Blamberg, director of the Agricultural Trade Office and the U.S. Consulate General Shanghai, who stopped by to discuss promotional opportunities in the market.
“We also met with several important companies in the foodservice, retail, and rice industries,” said Moran. “That roster included Ms. Yan Guo from Shanghai Bright Food Group, a large state-owned company with rice import quota; Ms. Juan Chen from Yum China’s innovation center; Ms. Huan Gao from Shenzhen Ruililai Food, a distributor to Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Ole retail chains; and Mr. Roy Luo from the Houcaller restaurant chain with more than 400 Western and Chinese style restaurants in China. They were impressed with the U.S. rice dishes and U.S. rice liquor, and we’ll be following up with them to encourage purchases of U.S. rice.”