British Menu Week kicks off in Beijing

Steven Liu, the image ambassador of Food is GREAT in China, addresses the launching event at the Opposite House Monday night. [Photo/ECNS]

Other items gaining popularity in China include chocolate, beer, gin and dairy products such as ice cream, yoghurt and cheese, according to Morgan.

Purchases of beer, especially Greene King IPA, the one that Xi had at Chequers during his first-ever state visit to the UK from Oct 19 to 23, has increased exponentially.

"The wholesale amount has risen by over a hundred times in the past few days," said Zhang Qing, manager of Beijing PFB-Trading International CO., Ltd., a beer and cider distributor based in Beijing that had a booth at the launching event.

"We're also trying hard to promote British cider. It's healthy, non-fattening and fruity," Zhang said, adding that the drink has become especially popular in the south, such as the coastal city Xiamen.

Also putting up a booth was XIX Spirit, a distributer of British liquor for nearly 20 years. Manager Harold Broese van Groenou said Scottish whisky has already become a darling for Chinese liquor lovers.

"Whisky is replacing wine at Chinese get-togethers," he added.

Although cheese isn't a traditional ingredient of Chinese cuisine, Morgan said cheese exports are on the rise, mostly thanks to people aged under 15 in China.

Also on exhibition were Jersey Dairy ice creams, Wilkin & Sons fruit jellies and Somerdale cheeses.

The British menu week runs until November 6.