SPC’s Venture into China

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)

With fruit packager SPC entering the Chinese market for the first time, Chinese consumers will be able to enjoy the quality that Australians have come to expect. After a formal signing ceremony in Shanghai in January, SPC will take its Goulburn Valley and SPC fruit brands into a partnership with China State Farm Agribusiness Shanghai (CSFA Shanghai). SPC’s master distributor in China will be CSFA Shanghai, which is part of the CSFA Group Corporation. Reg Weine, PC’s managing director, said it was noteworthy that the business will deliver packaged fruit to the world’s largest consumer market in its 100th year.

The products we’re delivering to China are from the Goulburn Valley, Australia’s famed food bowl, and are two of Australia’s most well-known, loved, and trusted food brands. Zhao Qingyong, general manager of China State Farm Holdings Shanghai Corp, said the company has developed good business partnerships with a number of Australian companies. China National Agriculture Development Group Corporation’s wholly owned subsidiary, CSFA, is totally owned of China National Agriculture Development Group Corporation. It is the only Chinese state-owned company that engages in agriculture, animal husbandry, and fishery production. SPC has recruited Ye Yiqian, a well-known entertainer, singer, and actress, as its brand ambassador for China in order to give the company a consumer face in this new market.

It’s all about bringing market-leading brands to places where provenance matters and there’s a sizable enough customer segment willing to pay a premium for Australian produce. The Chinese market is five times the size of the Australian processed fruit market, making this a big opportunity. Moreover, SPC was a terrific Victorian enterprise, according to Victoria’s acting minister for trade and investment. For more than 90 years, SPC has been exporting to worldwide markets such as the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan, and the Middle East.