PortugalFoods signed an agreement with Tmall to have “a strong Portuguese presence” on one of the largest e-commerce platforms in China, the leader of the agri-food sector association revealed today.
The executive director of PortugalFoods considers the cooperation protocol signed during the 2nd China–Portuguese Speaking Countries Economic and Commercial Exhibition (C-PLPEX), in Macau, to be “very interesting”.
“Our goal is to really start working on establishing – I’m not saying a store – a strong Portuguese presence on this platform”, explained Deolinda Silva.
“It’s not easy, but they are there ready to help us, and we are also increasingly acquiring more knowledge about the challenge that awaits us”, admitted the director.
The cooperation starts today, with a presentation of products from PortugalFoods member companies alongside Chinese companies “from the most varied categories”, revealed Silva.
The association brought products from 12 companies to C-PLPEX, but has more than 200 members including companies, entities in the scientific system and the agri-food sector and other related activities.
The presentation is part of a Tmall strategy to promote Portuguese agri-food products “in an aggregated way, to gain some dimension”, explained the executive director of PortugalFoods.
“The work that needs to be done with these Chinese partners is immense, because there is practically no presence of Portuguese products”, lamented Silva.
The first contact with Tmall took place during the 2024 edition of the FHC Shanghai Global Food Trade Show, a food fair in Shanghai, the financial capital of China.
PortugalFoods will participate in this fair again, between November 12th and 14th, to “better understand the potential that exists to create partnerships” to find future buyers, said the executive director.
China “is a market with brutal potential but which must be worked on in phases and by regions”, said Silva, who pointed to southern China as a priority.
According to figures provided by PortugalFoods, Portuguese agri-food exports reached 10 billion euros in 2024, a growth of 8.5% compared to the previous year.
The numbers for 2025 are not yet finalized, but the association anticipates growth, albeit more modest than that seen last year.