NZ launches e-commerce campaign in the Chinese market
New Zealand's red meat industry looks to re-gain lost ground in the Chinese market over the lockdown months (January to March) by launching an e-commerce campaign. The digital campaign will leverage changes in consumer behaviour in China toward purchasing red meat online and seeking healthier food options in the wake of COVID-19.
For this, Beef + Lamb New Zealand has partnered with Alliance Group seeking to benefit from the online purchasing trend in the Chinese market.
"Our research shows there is a significant opportunity in China for New Zealand lamb to take centre stage. Consumers are seeking out nutritious food to boost their immunity and we expect this to continue as people focus on their health in these uncertain times.
We’re also seeing significant growth in online transactions and sales, especially in meat products, partly driven by people being incentivised to buy online during the COVID-19 crisis. We expect this trend to continue as people have experienced the convenience and efficiency of food being delivered right to their door," says Nick Beeby, General Manager Market Development at B+LNZ.
The campaign on China’s two biggest e-commerce platforms, TMall.com and JD.com, will feature Alliance Group’s Pure South lamb in conjunction with the red meat sector’s Taste Pure Nature country of origin brand. "New Zealand is a trusted source of protein in China with consumers focused on health and nutrition in the wake of COVID-19 so we expect further growth in this segment in the future. New Zealand is well-placed to capitalise on the sentiment of Chinese consumers who are seeking to purchase more ‘fresh’ and ‘good for you’ protein," said Shane Kingston, General Manager Sales at Alliance Group. The co-operative is present in the Chinese market for more than 20 years now.
The campaign will be launched this month with an extended programme expected to run through to the end of the year. The initiative will also complement activities already underway in China to promote the Taste Pure Nature brand since a ‘soft-launch’ before the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes a pilot in Shandong province with selected retailers hosting an in-store Taste Pure Nature brand experience.
Between the end of January and Mid-March, New Zealand's lamb exports to China have dropped significantly due to lockdown measures initiated by the Chinese authorities and the foodservice closure in some major cities across China. However, beef was welcomed in the market, according to statistical data from China. In the first two months of this year, China imported a total of 26,589 tonnes of beef from New Zealand, increasing by 12% or 2,942 tons from last year. The value of the shipments reached $158 million.
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