Chinese demand for new tastes driving increase in food and drink imports | South China Morning Post

This is an article that I wrote for the South China Morning Post about how increased demand is driving the supply of imported products and foreign themed F&B establishments in China and, cyclically, how this increased supply is continuing to drive even greater demand.

As China transitions from an export to domestic consumption-based economy, many imported goods have gone from being rare and expensive to becoming readily available. Once the preserve of cities such as Shanghai and Beijing, it is now common to find imported food shops, foreign-food sections in supermarkets, and authentic international restaurants in third and fourth-tier cities. French milk, Swiss chocolate, New Zealand cheese and German beer can now be obtained easily. This availability of foreign products has been a boon for the Chinese consumer, and foreign-themed food and beverage operations.

Source: Chinese demand for new tastes driving increase in food and drink imports | South China Morning Post