Established since 1989, Trillion Food Co. Ltd has specialised in the trading of traditional cakes and biscuits, as well as in the production, processing and sales of meat jerky. While representing as agents for candies of different countries as well as for other ready-to-eat snacks originated from Macau, the company also boasts its own brands 'Pure Delight' and 'Trillion Delights'.
At present, Trillion Food is marketing its products mainly in Hong Kong selling at supermarkets, as well as via consignments in Jusco department stores and Mannings health-care stores. To reach out aggressively to local households, the company also promotes its brands at big housing estates' shopping arcades regularly.
Meanwhile, Trillion Food is also lured by the lucrative food market in the Chinese Mainland, and the company's General Manager, Mr John Wong, joined the HKTDC Style Hong Kong Shows earlier in Guangzhou and Chonqing to explore the market. In March 2010, before setting off to another Style Hong Kong Show in Fuzhou, Mr. Wong attended a series of Business Matching Meetings and met five visiting companies of an incoming Fuzhou Trade Mission organized by the HKTDC as well.
Having met the five companies of varying types, Mr. Wong was totally impressed as they have given him very valuable advice with regard to his entry into the Mainland market.
"The representative of a French supermarket which already has retail network in the Mainland told me that if they are to import from Hong Kong into the Mainland, I as the supplier must go through their head office in order to distribute my products nationwide, and the procedure is very complicated. She then suggested an easier way: either we establish our own company in the Mainland, or we find a Mainland partner to set up a joint venture, then we can start negotiating with the supermarket's local office in different regions. Some companies also suggested us to look for local agents as it requires tremendous resources and energy to make inroads into many cities at the same time, and some also recommended us to ride on CEPA," elaborated Mr. Wong.
With the meetings this time, some of Trillion Food's specialties - Hong Kong signature cakes encompassing the "Delectable Cakes with red bean curd filling" and "Phoenix Cakes" have aroused the interest of a few visiting companies.
"Whether we can successfully strike a deal is something of the future, yet these meetings have indeed substantially enriched my knowledge about the Mainland market - the consumer taste, the spending habits, the sales and marketing trends of similar products, as well as the business practice of local wholesalers and retailers. These are valuable information which I might have to spend a lot of money as to gain or even learn through serious mistakes. Therefore I think the Business Matching Service can truly help Hong Kong companies, especially those with no Mainland experience to make the first successful step to venture into China!" remarked Mr. Wong.
