Creative Joy International Co., Ltd's product range includes soft building blocks, finger puppets, rubber ducks, and various other toys, primarily distributed across Europe, including France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The company has been actively participating in exhibitions organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council since 2017, including Toys & Games Fair, Electronics Fair, and Gifts & Premium Fair.
Wyman Tse, Marketing Director, praised the platform’s effectiveness: “The hktdc.com Sourcing platform has strengthened our connections with both existing and new customers. Last year (2024), we met an American new buyer through the platform, who has now become a long-term partner. The initial order was worth approximately US$10,000, and this year, they placed a new order of US$120,000. Additionally, the platform has attracted new buyers from Singapore, Japan, and Israel, who first contacted us online and then visited our booth in person to discuss their enquiries and sourcing needs face-to-face. We consistently achieve a solid conversion rate from online enquiries to follow-up cooperation each year.”
In terms of online promotion, Wyman stated that the team releases the latest product information on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform ahead of each exhibition. “We place significant emphasis on developing our online presence, uploading posters and certifications related to recycled materials and environmental protection to the platform. I believe this approach is particularly beneficial for the European market, effectively conveying our commitment to sustainable development.”
Great Star Merchandise Corp is a sourcing cooperative specialising in the sale of plastic and educational toys, models and accessories, audio-visual products, decorations, and handicrafts. The company primarily serves buyers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Korea, and various European countries. Since 2006, Great Star has been an active participant in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair.
Rose Hong, Foreign Trade Sales Manager, commended the effectiveness of the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair: “I believe Scan2Match is vital helping us achieve our exhibition goals, particularly our aim to expand into the Southeast Asian market, including Singapore and Thailand. On the first day of the exhibition, I noticed that buyers from the United Kingdom, Thailand, Türkiye, and Bulgaria scanned our QR code after visiting the booth. Upon checking the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, I realised that they had all sent me enquiries regarding our newly developed light-up pin art. This is a valuable way to collect buyer information.”
Rose also acknowledged the importance of optimising of the hktdc.com Sourcing platform: “Over the past few days, I have focused on packaging our products more effectively on the platform, attaching relevant photos and information to enhance product exposure and facilitate better communication with buyers through Scan2Match."
Ming Shing Plastic & Metal Factory Limited has been around for over 50 years, specialising in the production of plastic stationery, gag toys, and party favours. Their business is mainly export-oriented, but they have started developing domestic sales in recent years. The company became a supplier on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform in 2002 and has been continuously participating in the Hong Kong Trade Development Council's Toys and Games Fair and Gifts & Premium Fair since 2006.
Affected by the unstable international trade situation, Media / Sales & Marketing Executive, Joseph Chu, stated that they aim to connect with more European buyers from the UK, Italy, and other countries through the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair to expand their customer base. In addition, the hktdc.com Sourcing platform also plays a very important role in online promotion and publicity: “The platform is very convenient to use. Buyers can search for their favourite products online before the exhibition and directly find our booth number on the webpage, attracting them to visit our booth. Moreover, many buyers actively scan the Scan2Match QR code at our booth, seeking to further understand our background and products through the webpage. Recently, a client from the UK found us through the platform and sourced about 10,000 gag toys from us, including nail-through-finger and gum-snapping products.”
Founded in 1979, Natalini Se.A. di Natalini F. & C. Snc started as a family-owned business specialising in veneer and marquetry mouldings, pioneering in the production of intricate photo frames using marquetry techniques, traditionally reserved for household furniture. “Our unique advantage lies in material innovation and craftsmanship,” said Dott. Andrea Natalini, the CEO of the company. “We are among the few manufacturers globally applying marquetry to photo frames, creating pieces that blend artistry with functionality.”
Serving buyers from the US, Europe, and Asia, with notable clients in Hong Kong, the company credits the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for sustaining its growth, having collaborated for like 20 years, with approximately 30% of its annual revenue generated through the HKTDC channels. “Asia holds immense potential, and the Hong Kong Gifts and Premium Fair helps us connect with new buyers,” Natalini added. The company has been an exhibitor at the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair since 2008 and has promoted on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform since then.
Complementing its promotional activities, the company lists products via the hktdc.com Sourcing platform, showcasing its diverse marquetry capabilities. “The platform’s message centre appears instrumental,” Natalini noted. Recent enquiries from India, Slovenia, Türkiye, Nigeria, and other regions highlight the global appeal of new markets, with one Indian buyer even requesting 75 units of our photo frames, indicating strong interest based on the online product displays.”
The company emphasises environmentally friendly practices and social governance in its production processes. “Customers appreciate our commitment to sustainability, which enhances their brand storytelling,” Natalini shared. With the intent to expand their digital presence and participate in HKTDC events further, the company aims to leverage platforms such as hktdc.com Sourcing and Scan2Match to drive online and offline enquiries and orders. “The ease of customers connecting directly by a simple scan of the QR code is invaluable,” Natalini concluded.
Sunsing Promotional Products Co., Limited, established in 2008, mainly engages in the manufacturing and supply of custom ballpoint pens, notebooks, and niche promotional gifts. Their products are primarily distributed to Europe and the Americas, and they aim to connect with more niche brands at the exhibition to further expand their markets in Northern Europe, Eastern Europe, and North America. The company became a supplier on the hktdc.com Sourcing platform in 2016.
According to Sales Manager Candy Wen, the hktdc.com Sourcing platform can effectively expand their customer base and bring business opportunities to the company: “Last year (2024), the company connected with a high-quality buyer from France through the hktdc.com Sourcing platform. After several rounds of discussion, they finally placed an order for a total of 60,000 ballpoint pens, with an order value of US$18,000. In addition, there were also small quantity orders from clients in the UK, Germany, and Hong Kong, with each order being around 1,000 pieces, worth approximately US$200, which helps the company establish long-term cooperative relationships with new clients.” In addition, the company has also received enquiries from clients in the United States, Canada, South Africa, France, the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Thailand, and other countries through the platform, all of whom are interested in their custom ballpoint pens.
Candy praised the Click2Match business matching service for being targeted: “The quality of the buyers here is very good. They have clear sourcing objectives and are also looking for smaller sourcing quantities, which is perfect for us and helps expand our customer base. At this year's Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair, we invited buyers to visit our booth. We were very happy to connect with a watercolour artist and designer from the UK, who was interested in our storage product services, with them being responsible for the design and us being responsible for the production. A buyer from the United Arab Emirates contacted us by scanning the Scan2Match QR code at our booth.”
In previous years, we participated in Home InStyle. However, this year, we joined the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair for the first time to expand our customer base. The format of the fair was particularly engaging, featuring seven simultaneous exhibitions that attracted buyers from a variety of regions and industries.
On the first day of the exhibition, we connected with new clients from countries such as the UK and Tunisia, which are typically challenging to access. This experience provided valuable insights into market demands, colour preferences, and cultural characteristics across different countries, which will greatly benefit our future product development.
Our primary focus is on toy design and manufacturing, with the goal of establishing connections with overseas distributors, e-commerce platforms, and our own brand. Over the next one to two years, we will concentrate on the Southeast Asian, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korean, and Japanese markets.
Through the HKTDC’s business matching platform, we successfully connected with a major sales platform in South Korea, establishing collaborations that have boosted our brand’s visibility and competitiveness in overseas markets. These matches not only sped up the partnership process but also ensured the reliability of our collaborators. The platform provided us with precise channels to build long-term relationships with high-quality international buyers.
Multiple exhibitions were held concurrently, integrating elements of gifts, fashion, and home products, which successfully attracted a diverse clientele. Although some visitors did not fall within our traditional target demographic, we effectively generated significant interest from fashion and home goods buyers. Throughout the exhibition, we engaged in comprehensive discussions with buyers from Europe, Korea, and Japan, including importers, wholesalers, department stores, and retailers.
We are an Australia-based company specialising in bodycare, skincare, haircare, and home fragrance within the gifting industry, and we have been participating in this trade fair for over 10 years. This year, we are enhancing our gifting range by integrating new discoveries into our existing collections, with plans to spend over USD 50,000. In response to U.S. tariff policies, we have strategically intensified our focus on the Southeast Asian market.
