An Italian artisan has impressed visitors at the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce’s pavilion with his exquisite cameo made from a small piece of conch shell using simple yet versatile tools. This is just one of many scenes at the ongoing third China International Consumer Products Expo in Haikou, the capital of Hainan province in southern China. The expo has encouraged Italian exhibitors to explore China’s vast and unmatched market.
According to Marco Russo, CEO of Russo Cammei, a jewelry maker based in Naples, Italy, with a business partner in Shanghai, “Chinese consumption potential is extraordinary, and there is no limit.” Russo is highly optimistic about the expo’s potential due to the intriguing Chinese market and the Hainan market. He is confident that his company will have a more promising future in the Chinese market and wants to expand his business in China.
Hainan’s progress in building a free trade port has made it an important province for Russo Cammei, and the expo is a significant opportunity for the company to expand beyond Shanghai and explore new areas in the vast market.
As the guest country of honor at this year’s expo, Italy built a pavilion of approximately 1,800 square meters featuring 147 participating brands, more than double that of last year’s edition. Monini, an Italian olive oil producer, also enjoyed a high level of popularity and traffic at the China-Italy Chamber of Commerce’s pavilion.
Guglielmo Giacconi, export area manager of Monini, who attended the expo for the first time, said, “Actually, it’s way better than expected because there is a very huge crowd and many interested potential customers.” Giacconi believes that healthy food has unlimited market potential in China as Chinese consumers become more concerned about their health.
Coffee giant Illy made its debut at the expo and welcomed a big crowd of visitors every day at the national pavilion of Italy. Walter Lumino, managing director of Illycaffe Shanghai Co., Ltd., said that China has already opened the door to all kinds of brands and showed its willingness to cooperate, which he thought was very positive. Lumino believes Hainan is a good and open platform for foreign companies, and its location in the south is very strategic. He said that having lived in China for 17 years, he already sees it as his second home and would like to contribute to China’s development.
