China in the race for health

All eyes will be on China when the Olympic Games open on August 8. For the Arla Foods Ingredients’ team in Beijing, the event underlines the vast possibilities of this dynamic market.

All eyes will be on China when the Olympic Games open on August 8. For the Arla Foods Ingredients’ team in Beijing, the event underlines the vast possibilities of this dynamic market.

A fast-developing middle class and a general rise in health awareness make China a land of great potential for Arla Foods Ingredients. Since the Beijing sales office opened in 2003, sales of speciality milk ingredients have risen rapidly.

Now, as the Olympic Games approach, sport and nutrition have climbed even higher on consumer agendas, says Steve Guoji, head of the Beijing office.

More people today are going to the gym, and there is a growing number of companies selling sports nutrition products in China. That means more consumers are becoming aware of what they should eat before and after sport, he explains.

Dairy focus
One of China’s leading dairy companies, Yili, is an official sponsor of the 2008 Olympics a fact that reflects the rapid growth of the nation’s dairy market in recent years. By the same token, dairy products are a main focus sector for the four members of Arla Foods Ingredients’ Beijing sales team.

We supply the dairy industry with large volumes of our CAPOLAC® milk calcium and casein phosphopeptide, which enhances mineral absorption. We are also the country’s leading supplier of alpha-lactalbumin, a whey protein fraction with the ability to raise the nutritional profile of infant formula, Steve Guoji says.

Premium trend
The rising disposable incomes of the Chinese middle class have sparked a trend towards more premium food and beverage products. This, too, has broadened the market interest in milk ingredients creating significant potential for Arla Foods Ingredients to boost sales of its largely unrivalled range.
    
Steve Guoji expects the market for milk-based specialities to continue expanding, just as the Chinese economy will continue to develop and grow. The Olympics are the perfect opportunity to show the world what China has become and to show the Chinese industry what Arla Foods Ingredients can offer.

This kind of historic, international event is important for China. It is an opportunity for people from around the globe to see our capital city and gain a better understanding of what China is really like, he says.