China remains open to quality food and beverage brands, but it is no longer a market where a general approach is enough.
On 30 April 2026, the EU SME Centre, SPI – Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação and PortugalFoods held a workshop in Porto on agrifood exports to China. Daniel Pedraza joined as keynote speaker, sharing practical advice, case examples and field lessons for Portuguese SMEs exploring the Chinese market.
His message was clear: opportunity is still here, but the market has changed. Consumers are more selective, distributors are more cautious, and brands need to arrive better prepared.
That starts with regulation: GACC/CIFER registration, labelling rules, trademark protection and category-specific requirements. For food and beverage brands, compliance may not be exciting, but it often decides whether products can move.
Once compliance is in place, positioning comes next. Daniel looked at opportunities in the market, and at the potential of organic positioning and Geographical Indications for brands with a clear quality and origin story.
He also discussed routes to market, including cross-border e-commerce, importers and distributors. The point was not to find one universal channel, but to match each product with the right route, partner and support. European tools such as REA AGRIP programmes, trade missions and campaigns can also help build visibility and trust.
The key takeaway: China is mature, complex and competitive. Success now depends on focus, preparation, localisation, the right partners and a more specialised market strategy.
