Source: Shanghai Daily
By: Jin Jing

CHINA'S increasingly health-conscious consumers are attracting more overseas food makers to tap the potentially lucrative market.

The Agriculture Trade Office of the United States yesterday held an event in Shanghai to promote healthy food such as almond and plum.

"Chinese are concerned about nutrition and health as I can see them checking the nutrition label in traditional groceries," said Wayne A. Batwin, director from ATO's Shanghai office. "They are interested in how to use health food."

Batwin said there's a huge potential in the market and this is shown by 5,200 US firms making inquiries every year about doing business in China. He noted that about half of them actually came to China to do research and test the market.

Some American firms involved in the business of cranberry, ginseng, dry pea and lentil received warm response, judging from the number of inquiries yesterday at the event despite high prices of the foods they sell.

Roger Zhang, market director of California Prune Board, said 10,000 tons of prune were imported last year, a jump from eight tons in the late 1990s.

"Sales were boosted by consumers' awareness of a healthy life concept and the rising purchasing power of consumers help as well," Zhang said.

Ocean Spray International Services Inc also saw imports of same-brand cranberry soaring seven times to 72 tons last year.

The company is negotiating with local factories to introduce cranberry as a new flavor for mooncakes this year.