STORY: Exploring CIIE with Fortune 500 company: European retailer's ambitions in China
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 5, 2024
DATELINE: Nov. 6, 2024
LENGTH: 00:04:14
LOCATION: SHANGHAI, China
CATEGORY: SOCIETY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the 7th CIIE
2. STANDUP (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
3. SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO

STORYLINE:

The China International Import Expo (CIIE) serves to showcase China's major opening-up measures and confidence, and to share China's new development opportunities with other countries.

STANDUP (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"How does the CIIE consistently attract foreign enterprises with its compelling appeal? Let's explore the 7th CIIE alongside Fortune Global 500 companies to find out."

The Food and Agricultural Products exhibition at the 7th CIIE hosts the largest number of exhibitors among the six business exhibitions.
More than 1,600 exhibitors from over 100 countries and regions are showing their efforts to enrich the choices available to the Chinese people.

STANDUP (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"What new trends have emerged from China's food industry, and what efforts have the foreign enterprises made to meet the Chinese consumers' desire for new tastes? We'll explore the exhibition with Tino, the CEO of MCG."

SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"Our company has been starting the business in China in 1996, and since then we have invested very successfully in about 100 stores as of today."
    
SOUNDBITE (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"So why (choose to attend) the CIIE?"
           
SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"Well, it's the platform in China. So we have been here since the first event, 7 years ago. And now we actually feel that this is one of the best platforms we can live in. Every year, we bring more than 100 new products to the market. And then we quickly make sure that we can also offer them through the consumers in China. So, for us, the CIIE is really one of the best platforms to showcase our import capabilities."
           
SOUNDBITE (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"And do you also feel that the CIIE has evolved somehow like from the first one until the 7th one now? Are there any changes that you have noticed?"

SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"I mean our booth is more beautiful year by year. That's for sure. But also the CIIE, I think, keeps at a very high level. If I look around, I see that the exposure from all over the world is extremely strong. And from a product point of view, I think the high-quality products are being seen more and more in China." 
           
SOUNDBITE (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"So how do you make sure that you can keep up with Chinese consumers, because everything's moving so fast and [there are] just so many new trends?"
           
SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"So, first, we need to listen to them when they come to our stores or when they interact with us online. We have a lot of communications that help us, of course, to understand the latest trends.
And then we are, of course, looking at our own commercial data, which is also helping us to better understand what really matters to the consumers in China. And every year, we see the changes. So right now I can tell the health trend seems to be a very important one, especially for the younger generation."
           
SOUNDBITE (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"So, in terms of China's high-level opening up, do you think what kind of potential is there still to be in the future?"
           
SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"The potential is huge, not only because the market is big, but also I think that many of the consumers, they are inspired by overseas affairs like this to learn more about international flavors. So for us, that's (an) ever-important task to broaden the range and to innovate in the product range."

SOUNDBITE (English): TINO ZEISKE, MCG CEO
"I think we have very, very positive prospects. First, we will continue to be the leader in food safety. We bring more safe traceable products. Second, we will bring more imports to inspire people. And third, we will actually listen to consumers also for what they want from their own country, because consumers are also very proud about their own produce, so we will work with more farmers. We will go into cities even in the northwest in Xinjiang and bring great fruits and vegetables from there. Because this is where Chinese people can be very proud about when it comes to their own produce."

STANDUP (English): ZUZANNA ZAK, Xinhua correspondent
"With a population exceeding 1.4 billion, China has the largest middle-income population globally. Chinese consumers' growing demand for high-quality products is sure to create vast business opportunities for the global food industry."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Shanghai, China.
(XHTV)