China News Service, Shanghai, November 6. Title: "Friends" of the 9th CIIE: The Adventures of South American Alpacas in China
China News Service reporter Xu Shanshan
"These three little alpacas are cute and cute. I wish you a 'Three Sheep'!" In the consumer goods exhibition area of the 9th China International Import Expo being held in Shanghai, the INJOI alpaca accessories booth was crowded with people. Zhang Yunquan, the person in charge of the booth, was introducing the furry dolls in his hands to the audience. He has experienced this busy scene for nine years.
As the world's first national-level exhibition with an import theme, the CIIE is not only the launch site for new global products, but also the "golden key" for countless overseas small and medium-sized enterprises to tap into China's large market. Along the way from the first CIIE, the alpaca products introduced by Zhang Yunquan are changing from "unpopular goods" that few people know about to becoming carriers of "emotional value" that are highly sought after by Chinese consumers.
Zhang Yunquan's relationship with alpacas began in 2006, when he touched alpaca wool products for the first time in Australia. The soft and healing touch suddenly gave him an idea: "The Chinese market is in a period of vigorous development, and products that can bring good emotions to people will definitely find space here." In 2011, he officially introduced the Australian alpaca wool product brand INJOI to China, but at that time consumers were still unfamiliar with this type of product, and marketing was extremely difficult.
A turning point came in 2018. The holding of the first CIIE gave Zhang Yunquan hope of breaking the situation. However, something went wrong during the registration process, and they were only allocated a remote booth of 18 square meters. Unexpectedly, this small booth was mobbed at the first CIIE. As soon as the product was put out, everyone touched it again and again and exclaimed, "What is this? Why is it so soft?" Before the first exhibition ended, Zhang Yunquan immediately booked a booth for the second one. The area has expanded from 18 square meters to 36 square meters, and this year it has reached 108 square meters. A dealer once stood in front of the booth and chatted for 10 minutes before deciding to cooperate on the spot.
Today, with the help of the CIIE's powerful resource linking capabilities, Zhang Yunquan's sales network has expanded to dozens of cities across the country. From high-end shopping malls in Shanghai to the historical and cultural district of Laomendong in Nanjing, you can see brand stores.
Behind the popularity of the booth is the dual support of the supply chain and national policies. Zhang Yunquan told reporters that although the brand was born in Australia, most of the core raw materials for alpaca products come from Peru in South America. In recent years, economic and trade cooperation between China and Peru has continued to deepen. Especially with the opening of the Chancay Port and the upgrade of the China-Peru Free Trade Agreement, the logistics channel between the two countries has become smoother, and the tariff policy has also ushered in major benefits.
“Tariff reduction and customs clearance convenience have directly reduced our import costs.” Zhang Yunquan lamented that in the past, due to logistics and tariffs, high-quality raw materials often had to be carefully calculated when entering customs. Now that policies have improved, the supply chain is more stable, and companies have more confidence to develop new products.
Through these years of experience, Zhang Yunquan has a deeper understanding of the Chinese market. He found that Chinese young people's demand for plush toys is shifting from the early pursuit of "realism" to the pursuit of "ugliness" and the pleasure brought by trendy toys. To this end, he began to integrate traditional Chinese culture into his products. He previously co-branded the Chengdu Giant Panda IP, and this year he collaborated with young Chinese cartoonists to integrate traditional elements into the design.
"We started with big furniture, then small dolls, and now we focus on trendy toys and national trends." Zhang Yunquan said that only by integrating oriental aesthetics with exquisite craftsmanship can the brand truly take root in China. Next year the CIIE will celebrate its 10th anniversary. He hopes that this platform will radiate wider and make the fate that spans mountains and seas sustainable.
