Demand-building Activities in China

May was a jam-packed month for multi-faceted Almond Board of California (ABC) trade education and outreach programs in the fast-growing, priority export market of China. Advantages of expanded usage of California Almonds were promoted to China's food industry decision makers as a new trend and an opportunity not to be missed.

ABC exhibited at three trade shows—Bakery China, SIAL, and Snackex—reaching an estimated 1,800 trade visitors. Additionally, ABC participated in the International Nut and Dried Fruit Congress (INC) in Beijing, and gave a presentation on the perfect combination of California Almonds and chocolate at the inaugural China Chocolate Forum.

To fully leverage the events, ABC organized a trade symposium in conjunction with the SIAL exhibition in Shanghai, sharing perspectives from both Chinese and U.S. speakers on the current situation and future outlook for California Almonds. Additionally, an interactive computer display attracted visitors to ABC's booth at SIAL while simultaneously gathering valuable market intelligence on their ideal snack, chocolate and bakery products.

At INC, the ABC-sponsored coffee break featured a wide array of almond sweets, and the opportunity to pose for a photo with the California Almond celebrity ambassador in China, Gao Yuan Yuan. Ms. Gao expressed to INC, delegates her love of almonds as well as her desire that more Chinese consumers enjoy almonds as part of a healthy lifestyle.

May was also the first time Snackex held its exposition in Beijing. ABC's booth was directly across from the flavor pavilion, offering an opportunity to display diverse almond snacks from a variety of international markets. ABC staff member Julie Adams was also a participant in the "East Meets West" Top Talk panel, featuring guests from China, Europe, and the U.S.