Photo: Courtesy of the Adisseo Group

The 6th China International Import Expo (CIIE) concluded in Shanghai on November 10. Fully resuming offline exhibitions, the event has attracted a huge number of "old friends" and "new friends" who gathered at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai) to share the dividends brought about by the vast Chinese market.

Adisseo Group, a French-based animal nutrition provider and a subsidiary of state-owned Sinochem Holdings Corporation Ltd. (Sinochem Holdings) has participated in  the CIIE for six consecutive years, demonstrating its trust in the Chinese economy and enjoying opportunities.

During the exhibition, Hao Zhigang, chairman and CEO of Adisseo Group, said in an interview that this year the group had announced its plan to build two new factories in China. According to him, this move aims to further strengthen the group's local production and services in China, and contribute to China's food safety and high-quality development of the breeding industry.

Once again, Adisseo Group participated in the CIIE's food and agricultural products exhibition area, this time with the theme:"Practicing an All-Encompassing Approach to Food, Leading High-Quality Animal Nutrition."

Hao noted that the CIIE is an important platform for China's opening-up, and serves as a convergence point for the country's "dual circulation" strategy. For companies like Adisseo Group, the CIIE provides an excellent opportunity to understand the Chinese market, he added.

During this year's CIIE, Adisseo Group has signed agreements with four industry leaders, namely Wens, Welhope, Cargill, and Sunner Group, further deepening cooperation with them.

Thanks to the platform of the CIIE, Adisseo Group has constantly expanded its "circle of friends," Hao noted, adding that the number of on-site signings has also increased.

He said the CIIE provides an opportunity for global players in the food industry to interact and exchange ideas, so that exhibitors present at the event could become potential partners.

After the fifth CIIE held last year, Adisseo Group, as one of the leading companies in the global feed additives sector, became even more proactive in introducing cutting-edge technology and concepts into the Chinese market. It has accelerated a "One-China Strategy" and launched two major projects in China.

This August, Adisseo Group announced the construction of a new powder methionine plant in Fujian Province, East China. The factory features a designed annual production capacity of 150,000 tonnes, with a total investment of approximately 4.9 billion yuan. It is expected to be put into operation by 2027. 

In the same month, the groundbreaking ceremony for a special feed additives plant of Adisseo Group was held in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province. The plant is expected to produce 37,000 tonnes of feed additives per year.

It was due to seizing market opportunities and customer feedback during the CIIE that Adisseo Group decided to invest in the above two major projects to strengthen supply and service for the Chinese market, Hao said.

Adisseo Group is a leading player in the feed additives industry, which is a crucial link in the entire food value chain and also one of the key focuses for the high-quality development of China's livestock industry. So far, China has grown into the world's largest producer of feed and is also Adisseo Group's largest market globally.

Hao said he remains optimistic about the future prospects of the Chinese market despite the current downturn in the livestock industry.

On one hand, the consolidation in the industry is driving technological and management upgrades; on the other hand, the post-pandemic Chinese consumer market is showing tremendous vitality, and there are still huge demands for high-quality food products, he explained.

Adisseo Group's confidence in the Chinese market also stems from a series of policies released by Chinese authorities. "High-quality development," "Chinese modernization," and "All-Encompassing Approach to Food" present a clear and immensely promising development blueprint to the industry.