Relationships are Key to Success in China

What struck me most when visiting the Jiangyang Wet Market in Shanghai, China was the sheer size of the market. Spanning several city blocks in Shanghai, the vendor’s stalls seem to stretch in an endless maze down street after street and alley after alley. We needed a tour guide—a vendor himself—just to journey through the market and experience it fully.

The variety of seafood products on display in the market was mind bending. Fresh fish in live tanks, lobster and crab of every variety—from every location in the world—were all up for sale. Even though we arrived early in the morning, the peak purchasing hours had already passed, with customers from retailers and restaurants frequenting the market daily between 3:00 – 4:00am.

With such a diverse variety of delicious seafood I noted just how important it was to have strong relationships, both with your suppliers and your customers. It was clear that every customer had their preferred vendor, an unspoken loyalty built up over years of time and hours of earned trust. Those relationships and that trust give, in my opinion, Wild Alaska Pollock an opportunity to provide a consistent supply of high-quality product with a compelling story to these vendors. Building a bond with fish vendors in Shanghai’s oldest market would allow for greater penetration of Wild Alaska Pollock into traditional Chinese restaurants and retailers.

The importance of relationships stuck with me following a meeting with Chinese company Weidao. Weidao works with famous quick service restaurants, or “QSRs” to supply them with their various protein needs, from beef to pork to poultry, to yes, Wild Alaska Pollock. Weidao is a company of product innovators who work to identify growing consumer trends and develop menu items that take full advantage of those trends. For Wild Alaska Pollock, many of the menu items being developed are brand new preparations for seafood for the Chinese consumer and takes an investment in marketing and promotion, which requires a trust between the QSR and Weidao.

While there, we got to sample a seemingly endless supply of Weidao's new innovations—from fish fingers (a new item for Chinese consumers) to sandwiches to salads to surimi products like fish balls and sausage and more. The innovations in terms of breading, sauces and even packaging are unique and astounding. The investment that the company is making to try and find ways to give consumers exactly what they want requires a real commitment and fundamental understanding of the Chinese consumer.

Weidao is dedicated to exploring new ways to utilize Wild Alaska Pollock, looking to feature it on menu items across popular restaurants like McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken, but also in schools and in traditional Chinese “hot pot” restaurants as well. That commitment to our fish comes from long-standing relationships with our industry and a belief in our quality product and commitment to upholding high-quality standards.

Our new friends at Weidao noted that fish is the second most consumed protein when Chinese consumers eat out, behind beef, and that most traditional Chinese meals include at least some seafood options. The growing millennial and Gen Z populations look at seafood as even more important because of its nutritional story, and are eager to feed their children healthy, sustainable seafood, which again presents an opportunity for Wild Alaska Pollock.

We’re only two days in but China has been an eye-opening experience so far. I feel like I’ve been bombarded with new sights, smells and tastes, but that at its core, the people we’ve interacted with are looking for what we all are: dedicated, loyal partners to help grow and evolve for the betterment of both. I’m excited to continue our journey around China, and for the possibilities for new friendships to come long after we’ve returned home.