Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Businesses eye China market with trip
Chester County businesses eye China market with trip
WEST CHESTER >> Is China ready for the craft beers made in West Goshen? Or to learn how to grow fresh mushrooms from the “Mushroom Capital of the World,” Kennett Square?
Chester County officials believe the economic giant is, and that’s why they are going once again to China on Tuesday for a 12-day trip to investigate business opportunities there.
Commissioner Terence Farrell and Michael Grigalonis will lead the county’s delegation of eight businesspeople making the trip. While there, they will meet up with representatives from Philadelphia and Pennsylvania to pitch the region as a tourist destination.
“The purpose of the trip is to build economic relationships and financial relationships with China, and to help our companies get a toehold or expand in China,” said Farrell, who added there have been “eight or nine delegations” that have come from China to Chester County as a result of the outreach efforts.
“So we’re on their radar,” said Farrell, who made two previous trips to China in 2014 to foster business ties.
“It’s something where we see opportunities for Chester County companies and we’re trying to develop that,” added Grigalonis, chief operating officer and executive vice president of the Economic Development Council. “We’re also focused on collaborating with educational institutions. West Chester University has a number of graduate students from China and a third of the students in the higher grades at Valley Forge Military Academy are from China.”
Michael DeThomas of Levante Brewing Company on the outskirts of West Chester
will be exploring opportunities to bring Levante beers to China, according to Farrell. County business leaders also taking part in the trip are Chad Byers of Symmetrical Investments LLC; Jason Zhu of Eternity International Trading Co. Inc.; and Janice Kelsey of Solar CITIES Inc.
One area where there’s already been success with China is tourism, the trip organizers said. That is why Susan Hamley, executive director of the Chester County Conference and Visitors Bureau, will be making the trip.
“For overseas visits to the region, China is second only to England and it is projected to be number one by 2020,” Grigalonis noted.
Prior trips have been successful and have helped some local businesses to gain work in China, according to Grigalonis. Genesis Health Care, Vanguard, Bentley Systems and others are already in the process of working there. Also, Chris Alonzo, president of Pietro Mushrooms, is on the verge of signing an agreement with Chinese entrepreneurs interested in building a state of the art mushroom production facility in a province located near Shanghai.
In a phone interview, Alonzo said the Chinese venture does not involve selling his company’s mushrooms in China since his is a fresh mushroom farm. Instead, it involves a new venture in which he is consulting with Chinese officials on how they can build the best modern fresh mushroom growing facilities.
The Chinese have struggled with keeping their food chain safe and that is one area they admire about the U.S. system, said Alonzo, who returned from a trip to China a few weeks ago.
“We talked about the beginning of building modern growing farm,” Alonzo said.
“It may be useful to other companies locally” to explore the China market, he added. “There may be ways many Chester County businesses can participate in something there.”
The day before the trip begins, a Chinese trade representative will tour Chester County and members of the local delegation may also have an opportunity to meet with the trade representative, according to Far- rell.
The trip includes visits to Beijing, Xi’an, Chongqing (Yongchuan District), Shanghai and Yangzhou. On May 20, a visit is scheduled to Flower Flag Trading Company, a business owned by Chester County businessman Zhu. A number of business meetings are scheduled in each city.
The Chester County delegation also plans on seeing the Philadelphia Orchestra perform at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center on May 26, the night before the group returns home.
No taxpayer money is used to fund the trip.
– For more information on business opportunities in China, email Farrell at tfarrell@chesco.org or Grigalonis at MGrigalonis@ccedcpa.com. – To contact Business Editor Brian McCullough, call 610-235-2655 or send an email to bmccullough@dailylocal.com.