General Mills makes debut at CIIE with 3 new products

Leading food company General Mills took part in the China International Import Expo for the first time this year, introducing its  high-end pet food Blue Buffalo to the Chinese market and two other products.

The presence of Blue Buffalo at the expo also marks China as the first overseas market for the brand after North America as it carries out its global strategic reach, according to James Chiu, vice-president and managing director of General Mills China.

Launched in 2002, Blue Buffalo has quickly become a leader in natural and healthy pet food through differentiated brand positioning and is among the top five pet food brands in the world, said Chiu.

"China's pet food market has developed rapidly in the past two years. Pet food is no longer the basic demand for food, as people began to pay more attention to the nutrition and health of pets," Chiu said.

He pointed out that the market size of China's pet industry is close to 300 billion yuan ($46.8 million) in 2020 with overall growth surpassing other countries.

"The Chinese market has a special importance and strategic position for General Mills," Chiu said. "We think this is the best time for Blue Buffalo to enter the Chinese market. It is an important mission for the brand since its birth to make pets healthier with a quality life."

According to Chiu, the most classic Life Protection Formula (LPF) collection will be the first to be introduced to Chinese consumers, with the unique ingredients containing cranberry, blueberry, barley seeds, flax seeds, and other antioxidants to support the health of pets's immune systems.

Besides the new pet food brand, two other well-known brands, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and Wanchai Ferry dinner kits, also made their debut at the fourth CIIE.

Haagen-Dazs launched a new product for the winter. Its "Lucky Choco Clover" ice cream cake looks like the aerial view of the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai).  Wanchai Ferry showcased its new "Black Reserve" collection, which can be fried into a thin and crispy layer, like snowflakes, in eight minutes without adding oil or water.

"The successful holding of the expo not only shows the development potential of China's market to the world but also provides international enterprises with a scheme to share China's opening opportunities," Chiu said.

Founded in 1866, General Mills is headquartered in Minnesota, in the United States. Its more than 100 products are sold in more than 100 countries and regions around the world.

Its sales volume reached $18.1 billion in 2021, covering products such as breakfast cereals, frozen vegetables, ice cream, snack food, and organic food.

General Mills has four production bases, three central kitchens, and more than 400 Haagen Dazs stores in China and has grown together with the Chinese consumer market over the past 30 years.

"Consumption upgrading is still the main theme for the Chinese market after COVID-19, with total retail sales of consumer goods in China resuming positive growth since August 2020 and the trend of upgrading in various consumer goods categories becoming more evident," Chiu said.

"The food category has shown well under the pandemic, and we are very confident in the future of the Chinese market as the demand for green, high-end, quality-oriented products continues to rise among Chinese residents," he added.