Spanish company eyes China opportunities at Hainan expo

At the booth operated by Spanish company Osborne Group, a staffer slices a 5J Iberian ham and visitors line up for a taste.

"I usually eat the packaged ham from the supermarket, and the ham here is much fresher and tastes better," said a visitor surnamed Ye, who purchased some of the ham after sampling it.

It is the second time that Osborne Group has attended the expo, this year with a larger exhibition area. Osborne Group has launched four new products at the expo, which are now on offer in addition to brands such as Cinco Jotas, Nordes and Montecillo.

"Compared to the first expo, more consumers know about our brand and pay more attention to the exhibition," said Stella Wu, Osborne Greater China 5J marketing director. She noted that the group hopes to not only popularize Spanish wine and food culture through the event but also tap into duty-free sales channels.

"The Chinese market is enormous," said Wu. The group has noticed that high-end consumer products, especially imported products, are gaining increasing popularity among Chinese consumers, with the uptick particularly noticeable among younger generations.

Osborne Group entered the Chinese market in 2015 and has seen its business grow rapidly in the country over the years.

"We are very confident in the Chinese market, and we hope to have more opportunities in the Hainan free trade port in the future," she said.

Vivian Wen, Osborne Greater China commercial director, said that duty-free shopping and the Hainan expo have become the new highlights of Hainan's tourism consumption.

"We hope to meet the needs of Chinese consumers and the changing market, and improve the brand to lay a solid foundation for further business growth in the Chinese market," Wen said.

She noted that with the current international situation, the Hainan free trade port offers great opportunities for international brands. Duty-free consumption has great potential, providing a win-win platform and good opportunities for long-term growth, she added.