A global banquet in Shanghai
As the old Chinese saying has it, “Food is people’s first priority.” Amid the high-end manufacturing products, pharmaceutical achievements and technological breakthroughs being showcased at the expo, food is one of the things that has really attracted my attention.
As a reporter running back and forth in the huge exhibition center, my stomach is almost always rumbling. When my editors were not text-bombing our group chat, I decided to take some time to wander about in the food section and try the freebies.
I literally had a global buf- fet in front of me, from juicy French steak to the pastry delights of Tous Les Jours, owned by South Korea’s CJ Corp, all washed down with a small glass of Chianti.
Ravioli with duck from Italy? Sure, I’ll take some. Butter toffees from Argentina? Yes please.
Not to mention Three Brothers Fries from the Japanese snack empire Calbee. These are seasoned french fries, extremely crispy and with a taste that lingers on the fingers, an absolute delight to munch on while watching TV — even an old-school lover of deep-oil french fries would be impressed.
I remember how the product was a huge hit in China back in 2013, and everyone I knew was looking for friends who were traveling to Japan, hoping they would bring the snacks back to China.
Three Brothers Fries were so popular that when I visited Japan in 2014, a giant billboard advertising the snack in Osaka’s Shinsaibashi shopping district became a popular site for Chinese tourists looking to take selfies.
After I stuffed my suitcase with the snack, my mother struggled not to finish them in one go, because they were so rare.
But now, with China further opening up to foreign products, especially in the day-to-day consumption sector, I believe it will be much easier and more convenient to shop for imported snacks thanks to the lower tariffs and easier access. My mom will definitely be the first person to celebrate the change.
I’m happy to flaunt my media access badge, stuff myself with free samples and skip the lines outside the expo’s canteen, but I’m more excited that after CIIE we will be able to shop easily for imported food and drink without breaking the bank.