Case Study: A Chinese Importer's Expectations of International Food Suppliers
From one small restaurant in Beijing, Da Dong has expanded to a dozen venues across China over the last ten years and plans on opening restaurants in New York in 2017 and Auckland the year after. He has three brands-the original Da Dong featuring the high-class brand "Peking Duck", a mid-level restaurant called "Little Da Dong" and a fast-food brand called "Da Dong Roast Duck Hamburger". Da Dong wants to integrate more international ingredients into his menus and therein lies a huge opportunity for New Zealand suppliers who offer the right products in the right way.
When asked what he would advise New Zealand suppliers who want to sell their products to his restaurants, Da Dong stated that he is only interested in overseas suppliers with good products that align with the unique character of their country of origin and are available at a good price. He recommends that New Zealand companies combine their food products with services such as teaching Chinese chefs how to prepare venison or other cooking styles which Da Dong could adapt to suit Chinese tastes. He also suggests that New Zealand companies choose a few restaurants that are influential in the Chinese market and invite their chefs to New Zealand. He also recommends they visit China to gain more insights into the market and continue building relationships.
Question: Study how sales channel partners are managed by your organization or another of your choosing and, drawing on what you have learned so far in this module, identify ways that the business relationships could be improved to the benefit of all parties.