Over the three-day event, the Malaysia Pavilion emerged as a focal point for business engagement, hosting more than 60 targeted business meetings. These sessions connected exhibitors with high-profile buyers from across China and generated total sales exceeding RM200 million. The outcome reflects growing demand for halal-certified, high-quality Malaysian products and signals strong potential for long-term cross-border partnerships.
CFDF is one of China’s largest and longest-running trade exhibitions, serving as a key platform for global food and beverage brands to access the country’s vast consumer market. Western China, driven by a growing middle class, a trend-savvy younger generation, and expanding international communities, is seeing increasing demand for diverse global flavours.
“MATRADE’s participation in CFDF is in line with MATRADE’s export market diversification strategy by exploring the growing Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in China, such as Chengdu. The trade event emerged as a key gateway to the fast-growing Western China market and represents a significant opportunity for Malaysia’s premium Food and Beverage products,” said YBrs Abu Bakar Yusof, Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE.
In 2025, bilateral trade between China and Malaysia reached RM541.54 billion, reinforcing China’s position as Malaysia’s top trading partner. Sichuan Province also ranked among Malaysia’s top ten provincial trading partners within China, contributing RM18.85 billion to total trade volume.
The showcase underscored the diversity and premium quality of Malaysia’s food and beverage sector. Products on display ranged from functional health beverages and tropical fruit-based snacks to ready-to-eat sauces and bird’s nest products. Premium Malaysian bird’s nest stood out as the most sought-after product, followed by innovative traditional snacks that combine heritage recipes with a modern twist. There was also strong demand for ready-to-cook and ready-to-eat offerings that reflect Malaysian expertise in the sector.
The outcome of the event highlights the resilience and global appeal of Malaysian food and beverage brands and points to continued opportunities in bilateral trade. Interest from Chinese buyers indicates a shift toward premium, healthy, and halal-certified products.
Malaysian companies interested in exploring opportunities in China are encouraged to contact MATRADE to learn more about the market and available promotional platforms.
