SIAL China - Retail & Hospitality Forum
My China B2B - My Food B2B will be keynote speaker at SIAL China's inaugural Retail & Hospitality Forum. Confirmed speakers include directors from Shanghai Import Food Enterprise Association, Shanghai Fisheries General Corporation (Group), Goodwell, Unilever China, XTC and many other elites from food, retail & hospitality industry. Shanghai Import Food Enterprise Association Shanghai Fisheries General Corporation (Group) Goodwell Unilever China XTC World Innovation City Super Shanghai Ltd DALIAN XIAOQIN FOOD CO.,LTD My China B2B - Taste of Italy La Cantina dei Feudi Srl Fabbri(Shanghai) Food Trading Co., Ltd Sumerian Specialty Coffee Shiyao Investment Ltd. Peace Hotel

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TEA produced by some of China's top companies contained residue of banned pesticides, Greenpeace said in a report.

The environmental organization tested nine brands of 18 types of tea sold in Beijing, Sichuan and Hainan, including green tea, oolong tea and jasmine tea. Prices ranged from 120 yuan (US$19) to 2,000 yuan per kilogram. Some brands tested, such as Wuyutai and Zhangyiyuan, are among the most popular in China.

China's Ministry of Commerce imposed five-year anti-dumping duties of 16.2 to 28.8 percent on photographic paper and paperboard from the United States, the European Union and Japan in a final ruling on Thursday.

The move indicated that China is warning its trading partners about the intensifying trade investigations into Chinese goods and challenges to China's export regulations, according to experts.

The anti-dumping investigation was launched in December 2010 in response to complaints by domestic producers, including Lucky Film Co Ltd.

QUALITY problems were discovered in 20 percent of woolen sweaters tested recently by Shanghai quality watchdogs.

Problems included wool content not matching claims and the presence of harmful chemicals, said the Shanghai Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision.

An H&M woolen sweater and one made by Captaino were found to contain less wool than claimed on their labels.

Manufacturers increase output as households worry over quality

Water purification is a mammoth business in the country as the population of more than 1.3 billion is more than ever concerned about the quality of what they drink.

China sold 30 million residential water purification systems last year, of which 20 million were purchased by Chinese families. It created a sales revenue of 30 billion yuan ($4.76 billion), according to data from the China Water Purification Association.

"The country's water purification business is promising because people are more conscious of the quality of drinking water. Along with their increasing incomes, an increasing number of Chinese families now intend to buy high-quality water purifiers," said Gu Jiuchuan, secretary-general of the association.

CHATEAUX Lafite Rothschild, the French estate that produces some of the world's most expensive wines, has won six lawsuits against Chinese companies since fake Lafite was found flooding the Chinese market.

The Chinese companies have been ordered to pay a total of at least 800,000 yuan (US$126,984) in compensation, the company told Shanghai Daily yesterday.

Among the six cases, Shenzhen-based Jinhongde Trade Co Ltd was ordered to pay 300,000 yuan in two cases decided by the Higher People's Court in Hunan Province last August.

Global food and beverage companies are likely to be the next major targets for Chinese enterprises pursuing overseas mergers and acquisitions, since tough global economic conditions are creating takeover opportunities.

Major domestic food and beverage companies, such as COFCO Group and Bright Food Group Co Ltd, have shown great interest in expanding overseas and purchasing assets, especially in the dairy, wine and sugar industries.

While most people know that tea originated in China, few associate coffee with the country.

Shen Peiping, Pu'er city Party chief, is determined to change that.

AUTHORITIES in Shanghai said yesterday that luxury furniture retailer Da Vinci has already paid its "fake imports" fine, over a month after the company openly refused to pay the penalty.

The Shanghai-based retailer was fined 1.33 million yuan (US$211,777) by the city's industry and commerce bureau in December, months after it was found to have deceived customers about the origin of its products.

CHINA'S trade suffered a strong setback in January as both exports and imports dropped amid shrinking external demand and a slowing domestic economy.

The Spring Festival holiday, which distorted the usual working days, also contributed to the decline last month. But that didn't change the broad picture of China's weakening trade, analysts said.

CHINESE consumers are helping to boost the Swiss watch industry, with exports worth 19.3 billion Swiss francs (US$21.1 billion) last year, an industry report shows.

Hong Kong, the No. 1 market for Swiss watches, contributed 410 million Swiss francs to its global sales, followed by the United States with 190 million Swiss francs and the Chinese mainland with 160 million Swiss francs, the Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry said. Watches priced above 3,000 Swiss francs saw a 22 percent rise in exports even though the Swiss franc soared to a record high against the euro in August before the Swiss government moved to contain its over-heated appreciation.

The famously competitive Shanghai is attempting a business makeover to boost innovation

Shanghai's development from a manufacturing base into a services center is a natural move for the cosmopolitan city, which has always harbored ambitions to rival New York and London as a global financial hub.