The Global Food Show Shanghai 2025, formerly the renowned FHC Expo, is one of Asia’s most influential gatherings for the global food industry, bringing together world-leading brands, innovators, sustainability pioneers, and decision-makers to explore the future of food.

Far more than a typical exhibition, the event serves as a gateway to China’s booming and diverse food market, offering unparalleled access to emerging consumer trends, responsible sourcing models, cutting-edge technologies, and global business networks.

For Fairtrade NAPP, participation of its network of small producer organizations in the platform was invaluable. The event offered an immersive space to understand global market shifts, engage with high-potential buyers, examine sustainability benchmarks, and strengthen the visibility of China’s Fairtrade-certified producers within an ecosystem increasingly shaped by traceability, ethical consumption, and innovative product development.

Driving Market Expansion and Visibility for China’s Fairtrade Producers

Seven farmers’ organisations representing Fairtrade-certified tea, peanuts, and fresh fruits participated to strengthen their position in domestic and global value chains. Over three days, the delegation engaged with buyers, traders, roasters, retailers, and sustainability-focused organizations, gathering critical market intelligence and opening new trade pathways.

Producers’ delegation explored booths showcasing tea, coffee, ginger, peanut products, and fresh fruits, allowing them to study product innovations, sustainability practices, consumer preferences, and differentiation strategies shaping today’s food markets.

The team also connected with certification-driven brands, eco-friendly packaging innovators, community-focused groups, and digital-traceability solution providers—gaining insights on how to better communicate sustainability and strengthen Fairtrade narratives.

Visits to more than fifty international pavilions—from Japan and Europe to South Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia—helped the delegation understand country-specific demands, identify high-potential buyers, and assess where Fairtrade-certified Chinese products can thrive globally. Additionally, producers attended expert-led forums on tea and coffee trends, shifting Chinese consumer behaviour, retail sustainability expectations, and certification systems, equipping them with practical knowledge to refine packaging, branding, storytelling, and product strategies for diverse markets.

Yang Zhou — Pucheng Juyuan Fruit Farmers Cooperative

“The show was extremely diverse. The ‘Fair Field’ forum offered deep insights into sustainability and market development. It was eye-opening to see how China is increasingly adopting concepts aligned with Fairtrade.”

Dan Wu — Guzhang GaoFeng Organic Tea Association
“Buyers valued GI, organic, and Fairtrade certifications. Future success will come from precision health products, digital traceability, and more immersive booth experiences.”

Strengthening SPO Competitiveness and Way Forward

The event revealed significant opportunities such as a growing domestic appetite for ethical and health-focused goods, increasing international demand for certified and traceable Chinese products, rising innovation within tea and functional beverage categories, and strong potential for long-term partnerships with both Chinese and global companies.

The learnings gained from the expo provided producers with a clear roadmap to enhance their overall market readiness. Key priorities identified include improving product standardization, enhancing quality consistency, upgrading packaging and traceability systems, developing market-specific product lines, and refining bilingual storytelling. The event also inspired new product innovation ideas such as instant teas, functional beverages, tea-infused snacks, matcha-based items, and culturally modernized gift boxes.