A delegation of executives from Freshippo, the retail supermarket chain belonging to the Alibaba Group, visited Chile to explore the country's exportable food supply; an initiative that reflects the growing interest in strengthening trade relations between Chile and China. The delegation was in Chile for more than a week and visited four Chilean regions. The goal of the visit was to learn about the availability of fresh and frozen fruit for potential export.
The delegation's agenda was organized by ProChile, in collaboration with Chilealimentos, the National Agricultural Society (SNA), Ciruelas Chile, and Frutas de Chile, highlighting the joint effort of public and private entities to promote the export of Chilean food. The visit was planned after a meeting at Chile Week China 2023, where actions were agreed to increase the presence of Chilean products in Freshippo stores.
As a result of this visit, two Chilean companies, Copefrut and Garcés Fruit, were selected as supply bases for Freshippo, allowing them to export their products directly without intermediaries. This direct purchasing model seeks to efficiently connect Chilean agricultural production with retail demand in the Chinese giant.
Ignacio Fernández, director general of ProChile, said this visit was the result of months of collaborative work and a significant milestone. He was also enthusiastic about the diversification opportunities this collaboration offers for the country's fresh and frozen fruits, meat, wine, and seafood products, which could gain significant space in the Chinese market through this modality.
The visit included tours of several frozen fruit plants, reflecting Freshippo's interest in the high quality and efficiency of Chilean agricultural products. Freshippo representatives were impressed by the plants' excellent production process and the meticulous selection and packaging of the food, which strengthened their confidence in establishing solid and lasting business relationships with Chilean producers.
Freshippo is the fifth-largest retailer in the Chinese market. It has more than 400 supermarkets in 30 cities in China and targets youth of high socioeconomic strata interested in high-quality products. This collaboration between Freshippo and Chile promises to open new doors for Chilean food exports to the Asian market, ensuring an efficient and effective supply chain.
Source: redagricola.com