Food Export-Northeast partnered with South China retailer, Jiarong (SPAR), for a monthlong promotion of American lobster in 15 of its outlets in the southeastern China city of Dongguan. The in-store promotion held from June 21 to July 20, 2024, was designed to build awareness and sales for live American lobster.
Though Dongguan may not yet be familiar name to many Americans, it is considered a dynamic manufacturing hub and an emerging first-tier Chinese city of more than 10.5 million people. Close in proximity to other economic powerhouse cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzen, it is considered part of the Pearl River Delta metro region, which boasts a population greater than 65.5 million.
Food Export-Northeast’s In-Market Representative in China, Roger Zhang of SMH International, indicates that his team “maintains close relationships with importers, retailers and foodservice operators and regularly scans the market for high-value opportunities to increase sales of American lobster in China. The partnership with Jiarong (SPAR) was a natural one since it has a well-established and strong market presence in Dongguan.” Indeed, Jiarong (SPAR) has earned a spot on the list of “Top 100 chain stores in China” for numerous years.
In the 15 stores selected for this promotion, special point-of-sales materials such as banners, counter cards, and posters featuring American lobster were displayed. Additionally, in-store promoters spoke to customers about the characteristics, flavor, and versatility of American lobster.
To increase the impact of the promotion, Food Export partnered with Jiarong on media outreach to highlight American lobster as a great taste for summer dining. Social media outreach on Chinese platform Weibo highlighted the adaptability of American lobster as part of many local specialties. Jiarong (SPAR) customers even had the chance to photograph their own lobster creations as part of a photo-sharing competition on WeChat.
The promotion results exceeded expectations with the sales of 7,550kg of American lobster totaling US$262,110. By leveraging Jiarong (SPAR)’s established operations and extensive market presence, the 15 participating outlets significantly boosted the visibility of American Lobster and Northeast seafood from the USA in the Dongguan market. The successful collaboration with Jiarong (SPAR) supermarkets, along with the positive results from the in-store promotion, highlights the significant growth potential for American Lobster sales in the growing South China seafood market.
Did You Know?
Food Export-Northeast conducts multiple promotions like this one on behalf of the entire Northeast fish and shellfish industry each year to raise awareness of taste, quality, and sustainability of Northeast US fish and shellfish.
Food Export’s Branded Program also offers enrolled suppliers the chance to support their own importers with funding for retail and foodservice promotions, among a whole host of other types of marketing assistance. Promotional support can be a fruitful tool to strengthen an importer relationship and grow a market. For more information about how suppliers can access the Branded Program, check out the Branded Resources page.
Food Export also offers great opportunities to explore the China market further in 2025 including a Focused Trade Mission to Shanghai and Hangzhou in August 2025 and the China Fisheries Show in Qingdao.