CBBC China Programme 2014

The China Consumer Group

Selling British goods to Chinese consumers at home and abroad

Luxury shopping in the UK is a favourite pastime of Chinese consumers. Britain’s rich heritage includes

luxury manufacturers, Royal Warrant-holders, and world-famous brands from Burberry, Alexander

McQueen and Jimmy Choo to Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.

British food and drink is renowned for its quality. Chinese consumers, assured by the freshness and

reliability of our produce, are increasingly keen to buy new and reputed foreign brands domestically.

CBBC has identified retail as a key sector for Sino-UK growth for three main reasons:

China is taking measures to transform its economy to a consumption-based model;

Chinese consumers and developers want differentiation and new brands on the high street;

E-commerce holds huge potential in China (as underlined by the MoU signed by UKTI with

Alibaba’s online platform Tmall during the Prime Minister’s visit in December 2013).

The CBBC China Consumer Group offers British luxury brands and food and drink retailers the ideal

conditions to attract and interact with Chinese buyers. It is part of a dedicated two-year retail campaign

hosted by CBBC and UKTI, which aims to help British companies understand Chinese consumer behaviour,

learn how to engage successfully with Chinese consumers at home and abroad, and raise awareness of

their British brands among their target groups in China.

A group visit to China will be arranged as part of the China Consumer Group programme. Opportunities

will be provided to meet specific Chinese consumer groups, for example at exclusive CBBC matchmaking

events. The scale of CBBC’s experience and industry contacts in China gives our members access to wider

marketing channels and more cost-effective group reconnaissance missions.

Opportunities

Find the openings that are relevant to you by discovering China’s trends, needs and initiatives.

Forge partnerships with retailers and developers across China during CBBC market visits

Attract Chinese consumers based on guidance from CBBC webinars and CBBC market advisors

Discover the untapped potential of China’s Tier 2 and 3 cities, beyond the established hubs

Relationships

Develop relationships by attending delegations and meeting prospective counterparts face to face.

Establish trust by deepening your personal connections in China, e.g. through CBBC’s B2B

seminars

Cultivate lasting relationships with reliable Chinese partners, e.g. at CBBC matchmaking sessions

Build rapport with companies in your niche area, e.g. via our programme of retail fairs and

festivals

Leads

Find practical applications for your expertise, making use of CBBC’s network of contacts and connections.

Gain unique access to specialist retailers, agents and distributors throughout China

Cement your business in China, e.g. as a designated supplier for local Chinese government events

Cooperate long-term with government associations and shopping centres across China

Who should join the China Consumer Group?

Retail brands

Hotel groups

Airlines

Customer-facing corporate members of CBBC

Service providers with relevant expertise or business interests are also very welcome to register

their interest in the group, so that we can involve you in our programme on an ad hoc basis.

Membership of the China Consumer Group is by invitation only. The group will be led by Fenella Barber

(fenella.barber@cbbc.org) in London and Xin Wen (xin.wen@cbbc.org.cn) in Beijing. To register your

interest, please email Lily Yang in London at lily.Yang@cbbc.org.

Outline of Activities in 2014

Understanding the Chinese consumer, promoting British brands

Key events and exhibitions in China and the UK (subject to change)

June The Great British Brands Festival in Beijing

Following on from the successful Great British Brands Festival in October 2013 in

Beijing, the second Great British Brands Festival this year will showcase British

food and drink, cars, toys, consumer goods and fashion, and B2B activities will be

organised for sellers. The 2013 Great British Brands Festival featured over 30 UK

brands including Marks & Spencer, ViSpring, Loake, Cheaney, Jeffery West, Queen

Anne, Morgan and Jaguar Land Rover. VIP guests included Boris Johnson, Mayor of

London, and Wang Shouwen, Assistant Minister of the Minister of Commerce. CBBC

and the British Chamber of Commerce in China will cooperate with UKTI to

organise this event.

The Great British Brands Festival in Chengdu

Later in June, CBBC will hold a separate Great British Brands Festival for sellers and

consumers in western China, in the mould of the Beijing edition. This activity, in the

booming hub of Chengdu, will similarly promote British products and host business

activities such as workshops. CBBC and the British Chamber of Commerce in China

will collaborate with UKTI and government bodies to organise the event.

August “Back to School” Children’s Showcase in Xi’an

This event will concentrate on children’s products such as clothing, toys, books and

food and drink, as well as services and educational programmes to help children to

learn more about Britain. “Back to School” is designed to encourage a greater

understanding among Chinese parents and children of British culture and brands.

September British Brands Showcase in Tianhe Road, Guangzhou

The British Brands Showcase is to be held in parallel with the Guangzhou

International Shopping Showcase in September, in order to introduce British

brands to Guangzhou’s most popular shopping destination, Tianhe Road. The

showcase will also feature other elements such as culture, arts, sports, tourism and

films, as well as a CBBC seminar and a UKTI business matching series.

UK-China Consumer Summer Night in Guangzhou

The Consumer Summer Night in Guangzhou, led by CBBC, will be part of the

aforementioned Tianhe Road British Brands Showcase. The Consumer Summer

Night, a reception for 70 to 80 guests, will bring together Chinese nationals and

expatriates alike to enjoy a night of British retail-themed fun. To accompany this,

there will be a mini showcase of several British brands, as well as a range of British

music and entertainment, fun and games.

The MICAM Shanghai

The MICAM Shanghai is an international event in Shanghai for exhibitors of

footwear brands. This year CBBC will partner with the British Footwear Association

to organise a group of British exhibitors, including sellers of footwear brands,

leather garments and accessories.

October China Toy Expo in Shanghai

The 2014 China Toy Expo is in Shanghai from 15 to 17 October. CBBC, in

partnership with UKTI, will partner with the local organiser, China Toy & Juvenile

Products Association, to set up a British pavilion. We will bring British toy brands to

exhibit in the fair, and help them to meet agents and buyers. The fair will be

combined with a China-bound mission including one day at the exhibition, specially

arranged one-to-one business meetings and a reception.

November British Pavilion at World of Food, Beijing

CBBC will host a British pavilion at this new show in Beijing. The show is aimed at

the northern provinces of China, which now account collectively for 40 per cent of

China’s imported food and drink products.

British Brands Showcase in Parkview Green, Beijing

The British Brands Showcase is a nine-day shopping festival to be held in North

China’s leading contemporary mall, Parkview Green in Beijing. It provides a unique

opportunity for British consumer goods companies and luxury brands to showcase

their products to thousands of Beijing’s increasingly affluent Chinese consumers.

CBBC will plan and organise the event in partnership with UK Trade & Investment.

Food and Hospitality China (FHC), Shanghai and Chengdu

The FHC exhibition is the leading show for imported food and drink products in

China. The UK Food and Drink Exporters Association (FDEA) will organise a British

pavilion at the show for the fourth year running, in partnership with CBBC.

Activities at the show itself will be supplemented by a programme of store visits

and an evening reception to promote all that is great about British food and drink.

British Brands Showcase in Wanda Plaza, Wuhan

Han Street is Wanda Group’s landmark project in the city of Wuhan, as well as one

of the group’s core projects nationwide. Designed as an entertainment resort, the

project includes a 1.5 km pedestrian street, with Wanda Plaza and a Las Vegas-style

showroom at the end. The British Brands Showcase will feature alongside other

elements such as culture, arts, sports, tourism and films, as well as a CBBC seminar

and a UKTI business matching series.

UK Christmas Retail Masterclass

CBBC, in partnership with UKTI, will lead a delegation to the UK in mid-November.

The delegation will attend a number of seminars with the UK’s leading retailers,

such as Sir Philip Green, Marc Boland, Philip Clarke and Christopher Bailey, to learn

from the brains behind the success stories of British retail. The Retail Masterclass

will reveal their secrets relating to store design, mobile apps, merchandising,

advertising campaigns and e-commerce.

Webinars and networking (subject to change)

Retail Webinar: Understanding E-commerce Routes to Communicate in China

Webinar: The Role of Multi-Brand Stores as Distributors and Agents

Webinar: Understanding Consumer Behaviour & the Importance of Festival

Promotion Online and Offline in China

Food & Drink Webinar: Selling Food and Drink Online in China

Webinar: Import Procedures for Food and Drink Export

Webinar: Branding and IP Protection in China

Webinar: The Market for British Food and Drink in China’s Regional Cities