Demand for Aussie goods in China sparks launch of flagship ‘Oz-Town’ store during ‘Australia Week in China’

High demand from Chinese consumers for goods that have been certified as genuinely Australian Made and Australian Grown has led to the launch of a new store in Shanghai, China dedicated to Australian goods.

The flagship ‘Oz-Town’ store was launched this month during ‘Australia Week in China’ (AWIC) festivities, showcasing a range of products certified to carry the Australian Made, Australian Grown kangaroo logo.

The Shanghai store is part of a chain of stores Oz-Town expects to roll out in concert with the Suning retail empire across China during 2015/16.

From this month Chinese consumers will be able to shop in-store for popular certified items, including baby formula, vitamins, ugg boots, clothing and skincare products.

Australian Made Campaign Deputy Chief Executive, Ben Lazzaro, who participated in the opening of the store in Shanghai, said the logo was well-recognised and trusted in China.

“The Australian Made, Australian Grown logo has been helping shoppers in export markets like China identify genuine Aussie products and produce for three decades, so its pulling power is no surprise,” Mr Lazzaro said.

“The launch of the ‘Oz-Town’ stores will offer new market opportunities for producers of genuine Aussie products and produce, while providing local consumers with a ‘one-stop-shop’ for authentic Australian goods.”

The new chain of retail outlets will be supported by a strong online presence through major Chinese e-commerce platforms Haitaocheng, JD, Papago, Suning and Tmall.

Mr Lazzaro added that while businesses selling certified products online were enjoying great success, there was also clear demand for a physical retail space where shoppers could inspect prospective purchases in person.

“Online sales of Australian products and produce in China are booming, but people still want to ‘try before they buy’,” Mr Lazzaro said.   

The Australian Made, Australian Grown logo was one of the central features of AWIC celebrations, helping to brand the AWIC Gala Lunch and the Australian Chamber’s ‘Export Growth China’ showcase. To find out more about AWIC, visit www.austrade.gov.au/events/austrade-australia-week-in-china. 

Caption L-R: Suning Deputy General Managers Zhou Xiaoyu and Li Liang, Australian Made Campaign Deputy CEO Ben Lazzaro and Oz-Town Chairman Bernie Ripoll at the launch of the new Oz-Town store in Shanghai