“We started with the import of grapefruit from South-Africa last year. At first, we bought from importers, now, we only buy from growers directly. Our team travels to South-Africa to meet growers and visit orchards. In China, we are well known for the quality of the domestic products we grow. Our mother company, Dalian XingYeYuan, supplies directly to Walmart, Carrefour and other big retailers in China. Quality and a stable supply chain are very important to us. That is why, when it comes to import, we select our growers carefully”, explains Martin Salge of GloryTimes.
“Sometimes, for Chinese buyers, it is hard to get the best quality. The Chinese market is changing and growers need to understand that quality has become important. International growers might assume lower quality is still sufficient, but our customers do no longer buy inferior products."
"Dalian XingYeYuan is one of the biggest fruit growers in China. We are growers and we understand the pressure growers are under. We do not push for the lowest margins, but we demand the best products at the best possible price. We always try to build up a win-win relationship with the growers we select".
Map with the orchards and farms of Dalian XingYeYuan in China
Strong competition and volatile prices shape import market
“The Chinese import market is growing. However, there is strong competition. Prices are volatile, that is the market reality. Importers can make a good profit, and then they might have to sell containers at a loss. I believe, in order to succeed in China, suppliers need to focus on quality and at the same time provide importers room to manoeuvre with prices and sales channels.”
“Some suppliers try to sell to different importers at the same time. Even though the market is big, different players know each other. This is not always appreciated. GloryTimes wants to work with loyal suppliers that provide stable quality fruit. Together, we can do big volumes. We focus on working with growers who share our business ethics: integrity, mutual support and commitment to quality.”
“The South-African grapefruit season is coming to and end. This season provides a good example of the volatility of the Chinese import market. The import season runs from late April until August. In May, the fruit sold well with prices hovering around 300 Yuan per 15 kg box. In June, however, due to sudden oversupply, prices came down to 110-130 Yuan per box. Prices remained this low until the beginning of July. It shows that, within one week, prices can plummet -50%”.
Start of Dalian XingYeYuan export business
“Dalian XingYeYuan grows over 40 fruit varieties in China. We only recently started to export. For our export business we focus on four main products: (Navel) oranges, pomelos, (Fuji) apples and pears. We are targeting, and have started to supply, markets like South East Asia, India, the Arab Peninsula, Russia and Europe”.
“Walmart, Carrefour and our other clients in China have stringent food safety requirements, including strict monitoring of levels of pesticides and other chemical components. Because we meet these strict standards, we also meet export standards”.
More information:
Martin Salge, Associate Director
Dalian Glorytimes Import & Trade Co.,Ltd
Direct line: +86 411 86520539+86 411 86520539 #767
Email: ms@glorytimes.cn
Website: http://www.glorytimes.cn/
Dalian XingYeYuan Agricultural Products Co.,Ltd
Website: http://www.glorytimes.cn/