It took 17 years for VanDrie to enter the Chinese market
VanDrie Group needed 17 years to place its veal products on the Chinese market and, with a little bit of luck and lot of hard work in marketing campaigns, the company may sell €15 million of veal in China in the coming three years, according to Marijke Everts, the new corporate affairs manager of the Group. That due to the fact that the word "veal" didn't exist until now in Chinese.
"In Chinese, there was not even a word for veal. We must literally introduce the product there. 2019 is mainly dedicated to publicizing the product veal. We must show that veal fits perfectly in traditional Chinese dishes. That is quite a challenge", she explained.
Pork is the most consumed animal protein in China but in larger cities, Western cuisine is becoming increasingly popular. At the same time, the Chinese authorities are setting high thresholds in terms of animal health, hygiene and traceability requirements.
The first batch of veal concerns the more luxurious parts of the calf and is sold in supermarkets and food service chains in cities such as Beijing and Hangzhou. Ultimately, VanDrie also wants to supply carcasses and by-products such as organ meat to China. The veal integration does not take on big growth figures, but uses modestly for the coming years. "We dare to say that we expect to sell veal of €15 million in China in the coming three years. We already have to work hard for that. If we get Chinese consumers to veal, it can go fast. If that does not work, the sales will remain modest," added Everts.
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