Multinationals return to CIIE with more offerings

MULTINATIONAL companies have seen fruitful results after their first presence at the China International Import Expo last year, and many said they will continue to leverage the event to strengthen ties with local consumers and partners.

Danone’s Aptamil Prosyneo infant formula, which was designed to prevent allergies among babies, was showcased as a China debut at the first CIIE. The product has achieved positive results since it became available through its official online cross-border sales channels in early 2019.

Danone has since leveraged the CIIE platform and introduced dozens of new import products from countries such as New Zealand, Poland and France.

This year, it will exhibit more than 120 popular products, an increase of 50 percent over last year, including about 10 new offerings.

The exhibits cover essential dairy and plant-based products, as well as waters and specialized nutrition.

French lens and vision health leader Essilor Group will introduce two new optometry-related instruments to CIIE, marking their debut in the Asia-Pacific region. Visitors to Essilor’s booth will be able to experience the advanced eye-screening technology for children as well as its dispensing equipment.

“Essilor has a wide range of products that fit the evolving needs of different groups of consumers and various demands, and our consistent innovations and industry-leading instruments also make the screening and refraction process more comfortable, precise and effective,” said Kok Leong Lim, president of the Essilor China lens division.

Among Essilor’s exhibits, the Eyeviz 300 is a comprehensive ophthalmic diagnostic device that measures the potential deficit of binocular vision and vision acuity problems. The programs were specially designed for kids to stay focused, which can also be used to conduct digitalized binocular vision assessments.

The healthy snack bar BE-KIND was introduced by confectionery, snack and pet food maker Mars at the CIIE last year, and it started to be rolled out through online channels in China at the beginning of 2019.

Earlier this year, Mars said it will invest US$45 million to expand its production plant in Jiaxing and its chocolate production capacity. Of this amount, US$20 million is allocated to increase production capacity for the BE-KIND line.

Mars has also set up its China Digital Innovation Center in China to better react to local tastes and trends and bolster engagement through digital channels.

This year one of its latest offerings at the CIIE is an intelligent self-service vending machine where consumer can select M&M chocolates with different color coatings based on their personal preferences.