MEDIA RELEASE

Singapore’s food products hit shelves of over 20 in Guangdong, Beijing and Shanghai

IE Singapore brings 21 Tasty Singapore food manufacturers to on a Singapore Food Promotion campaign.

MR No.: 047/10 Singapore, Monday, 26 July 2010

1. More than 20 brands of Singapore F&B products are currently on the shelves of 15 Jusco1 supermarkets in Guangdong province for a promotional campaign. This marks the start of the Singapore Food Promotion campaign in China （新加坡美食 节）organised by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, a campaign to introduce Singapore’s authentic Asian cuisine and the Tasty Singapore （食尚新加坡） brand to both Chinese consumers and businesses. The campaign comprises consumer roadshows, promotions and restaurant promotions. The objective is to raise awareness and mindshare about Singapore’s F&B products, which offer not only , but possess the Tasty Singapore attributes of safety, quality, innovation and diversity. The Guangdong leg has been officially launched on 24 July 2010 in Guangzhou. Following Guangdong, the campaign will move on to Beijing and Shanghai. (Please refer to Annex 1 for list of participating companies, Annex 2 for information on Tasty Singapore and Annex 3 for photos of the launch)

2. Said Mr Yew Sung Pei, Assistant Chief Executive Officer of IE Singapore （尤善钡 先生，新加坡国际企业发展局助理局长）, “As the Chinese consumer attains higher standard of living, they will also demand additional and quality choices to enhance their lifestyles. We want to introduce Singapore’s unique and authentic Asian food offerings, which stem from our rich multi-cultural heritage. These dishes can be easily prepared at home with the pastes and mixes developed by

1 Jusco is a well-established supermarket chain in China that carries international products.

Nothing in connection with this communication should be regarded as IE Singapore or its employees rendering, or holding out as rendering, auditing, accounting, tax, legal, advisory, consulting or other professional service or advice. This communication is made by IE Singapore and its employees in good faith but without any representation or warranty of any kind as to its completeness, correctness, accuracy, suitability, reliability or otherwise. Neither IE Singapore nor its employees shall be held responsible for any consequence or action arising out of or in connection with the use of the contents of this communication.

IE Media Release 26 July 10

Singapore food manufacturers, which have attained high safety and quality standards. This campaign is also an important avenue where we help Singapore companies expand to China by linking them up directly with retailers like Jusco, , BHG and E-Mart. Our aim is to help the Singapore companies get their products onto the supermarket shelves permanently.”

3. This is the first time that IE Singapore is officially introducing the Tasty Singapore2 brand into China’s retail outlets directly and bringing in a collective number of Singapore F&B products onto the shelves of well established supermarkets such as Jusco, BHG, Carrefour and E-Mart in China for a promotional campaign. This has come to fruition with strong support from SingFood Alliance, a food consortium that offers distribution and marketing services. 21 Singapore companies are participating in the supermarket promotions and consumer roadshows.

4. Through the Singapore Food Promotion campaign, Chinese consumers and businesses can get to know about Singapore’s F&B products such as instant beverages, packet snacks, food mixes / pastes etc, and try cooking authentic Asian dishes such as chilli crab, laksa, chicken rice, satay and chicken rice at home. The restaurant promotion will see selected Singapore dishes being featured in participating restaurants’ menus, which helps to further create awareness of Singapore’s food to consumers.

5. The campaign has kick-started in Guangdong province, and will be followed by Beijing and Shanghai. i) Guangdong province: Supermarket promotion from 19 July – 1 August in 15 Jusco supermarkets across the seven cities of Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, Zhuhai, Zhongshan, Dongguan and Huizhou; Consumer roadshow from 24 – 25 July at Popark Shopping Mall, Guangzhou, with official launch for Guangdong leg held on 24 July; Restaurant promotion from early August – end August in Garden Hotel in Guangzhou. ii) Beijing: Supermarket promotion from 28 July – 24 August in six BHG supermarkets; Consumer roadshow from 6 – 8 August at Xizhimen Raffles City, with official launch for Beijing leg to be held on 6 August.

2 Tasty Singapore is an encompassing brand for the Singapore F&B Industry. It is an initiative launched in 2004 by IE Singapore, Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) and the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa) to offer a collective brand identity for Singapore food companies venturing overseas, including both manufacturers and F&B players.

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

iii) Shanghai: Supermarket promotion tentatively from 10 – 19 September in selected Carrefour and E-Mart supermarkets.

6. Said Mr Takashi Miura, Managing Director, Guangdong Jusco Teem Stores Co Ltd （三浦隆司先生，广东吉之岛天贸百货有限公司董事总经理）, “Jusco places much emphasis on the quality of products that we bring into our supermarkets. We are constantly looking for new sources to offer quality and innovative F&B choices to our customers. Singapore’s food products are in line with what we are looking for and complement our current international offerings. Following this supermarket promotion tie-up with IE Singapore, we will explore the viability of long-term partnerships with Singapore’s food companies.”

7. As the Chinese consumer becomes increasingly cosmopolitan and affluent, the China market presents much potential for Singapore’s food manufacturers. China leads the region in terms of per capita consumer expenditure growth, expanding at an average annual rate of 7.9% from 2000 - 2009. Although some parts of China were affected by the global financial crisis, per capita consumer expenditure still increased by 7.4% year-on-year in 2009. In 2010, China's real per capita disposable income is forecast to grow at 8.8% annually, compared to 10.9% in pre-crisis 2007.3 This is however still relatively strong as the global economy recovers this year.

8. From January to June 2010, Singapore’s total food exports reached S$3.94 billion, of which China accounted for around 11% (S$447.98 million). The S$447.98 million worth of food exports to China in these six months saw an increase of around 26.6% over the same period in 2009 (S$353.81 million). Singapore food brands that are currently in China include Bee Cheng Hiang, Brand’s, Eu Yan Sang, Gold Kili, Prima Food, Super Coffeemix, Tee Yih Jia, Thiong Seik Food, Tiger Beer, Yeo Hiap Seng and more.

Annex 1: List of participating companies Annex 2: About Tasty Singapore Annex 3: Photos of the launch in Guangdong

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3 Source: http://www.euromonitor.com/Articles.aspx?folder=Regional_Focus_Asia_Pacific_presents_a_sound_pros pect_to_businesses_thanks_to_rising_disposable_income&print=true

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

Issued by IE Singapore.

For media enquiries, please contact:

Ms CHENG Kiat Loon Senior Manager Corporate Communications Group DID : + 65 6433 4465 Hp : + 65 9799 0904 Email : [email protected]

______

About International Enterprise Singapore

International Enterprise (IE) Singapore is an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry spearheading the development of Singapore’s external economic wing.

Our mission is to promote the overseas growth of Singapore-based enterprises and international trade. With a global network in over 30 locations and our 3C framework of assistance – Connections, Competency, Capital, we offer services to help enterprises export, develop business capabilities, find overseas partners and enter new markets. At the same time, we work to position Singapore as a base for foreign businesses to expand into the region in partnership with Singapore-based companies.

Please visit www.iesingapore.com for more information.

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

ANNEX 1

PARTICIPATING COMPANIES

Company Products 1 Amoy Canning Canned Food 2 Bee Cheng Hiang Packaged Meat 3 Chia Khim Lee Beverages 4 Chueng Chong Food Sauces 5 Food Marketing Frozen Seafood 6 Fong Yit Kaya Kaya Jams 7 Gan Hup Lee Processed Rice 8 Gold Kili Instant Beverages 9 Hock Seng Food Canned Fruits 10 Kim Hing Food Bird Nest 11 Leo Satay Frozen Meat (Satay) 12 Owl International Instant beverages 13 Pakary Foods Snacks 14 Prima Food Food Paste 15 Seng Hua Hng Snacks 16 Sheng Sheng F&B Industries Beverages 17 Tai Hua Sauces Sauces 18 Tastyfood Instant Beverages 19 Thiong Seik Food Frozen Seafood 20 True Heritage Brew Beverages (Alcoholic) 21 Vismark Food Industries Food Paste

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

ANNEX 2

ABOUT TASTY SINGAPORE

Tasty Singapore – an encompassing brand for the Singapore F&B Industry

Tasty Singapore 4 is an initiative by International Enterprise (IE) Singapore to offer a collective brand identity for Singapore food companies (both manufacturers and F&B players) venturing overseas.

The objective of Tasty Singapore is to provide the diverse Singapore food industry a common branding platform to generate greater awareness and mindshare amongst foreign buyers and consumers when they venture overseas with their products and services.

Tasty Singapore is defined distinctively through the following key attributes: diversity, innovativeness, dynamism, quality and safety. The branding, along with the attributes set the benchmark for success in our local food industry both in the manufacturing and service sectors. Tasty Singapore brand ambassadors adhere to stringent food preparation processes and employ up-to-date manufacturing and packaging technologies. The diverse offerings of Tasty Singapore brand ambassadors companies include authentic culinary cuisine and products that truly define Singapore’s rich multi-cultural heritage and openness to foreign culture.

Profiling of Tasty Singapore

Tasty Singapore has been promoted globally in key markets such as Americas, Middle East, Europe and Asia through both IE and association-led missions, trade shows and other activities such as food festivals, and retail promotions. It is also heavily promoted in both local and foreign media through placements and media pitching.

For a holistic approach, the Tasty Singapore brand is also promoted locally in Singapore to generate awareness amongst local consumers and trade buyers, all with the objective of creating a powerful identity for Singapore products, services, companies and cuisine.

Tasty Singapore Brand Ambassadors

Under the Tasty Singapore umbrella, there are currently 54 brand ambassadors who have met stringent hygiene and food safety standards that comply with the highest international requirements for food production. They include accreditation to ISO 9001:200, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications and the Agri-food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) Factory Grading system, which adopts a science-based risk analysis and management approach based on international standards to evaluate and ensure food safety.

Our brand ambassadors append the distinctive orange Tasty Singapore logo on their products to differentiate themselves on the supermarket shelves from other countries’ products.

4 It was first launched in 2004 in collaboration with the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) and the Singapore Manufacturers’ Federation (SMa). The branding is also supported by the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) and SPRING Singapore.

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

ANNEX 3

PHOTOS OF LAUNCH IN GUANGDONG, CHINA

For copies of the high resolution photographs, please contact Ms Cheng Kiat Loon of IE Singapore. All photos to be credited to IE Singapore.

1. 2.

3.

4. 5.

Captions:

Pics 1 – 3: Launch ceremony of the Singapore Food Promotion campaign for Guangdong leg (launch ceremonies will be held separately in Beijing and Shanghai)

From left to right: i) Mr Wu Bai Geng, General Manager, Pinlive (Shanghai) Food Co Ltd 吴柏庚 先生，品利食品（上海）有限公司总经理 ii) Mr Takashi Miura, Managing Director, Guangdong Jusco Teem Stores Co Ltd

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IE Media Release 26 July 10

三浦隆司先生，广东吉之岛天贸百货有限公司董事总经理 iii) Ms Su Caifang, Deputy Director General, Foreign Affairs Office, People's Government of Guangdong Province 苏才芳女士，广东省人民政府外事办公室副主任 iv) Mr Ang Chay Chuan, Consul General, Consulate-General of the Republic of Singapore - China (Guangzhou) 洪齐全先生，新加坡驻广州总领事 v) Mr Law Chung Ming, Regional Director of South China, IE Singapore 饶忠明先生，新加坡国际企业发展局中国司华南区副司长 vi) Mr Stephen Lim, General Manager, SingFood Alliance 林世健先生，上海新洲食品有限公司总经理

Pic 4: Cooking demonstration (chilli crab) at the launch ceremony

Pic 5: Mr Stephen Lim showing the Singapore products to Ms Su Caifang in the supermarket

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