Olive oil importers eye Eastern opportunities

A common problem with a big pie is where to take the first bite. Dani Jimenez, chief executive officer of Qualia Products Shanghai Co, the Spanish olive oil company's China division, was looking for ways to tap into the country's huge market.

Jimenez arrived in China six months ago and set up the China division in Shanghai, which is the first overseas office for the company. Small though it is (with annual sales of about $5 million), the company is targeting the high-end market.

Jimenez intended to sell his oil to fancy restaurants and in luxury shopping malls in China, and "not in the supermarkets", he stressed, because its top quality will require a price higher than the market average.