— From Booth‑side First Encounter to Mutually‑Beneficial Global Food‑Trade Partners

Origin: 2007, the First Time "Being Seen"

The Imported Food Network was newly‑established back in 2007.

That year, we made our debut at the SIAL Shanghai International Food & Beverage Exhibition. It marked our very first appearance at a large‑scale international exposition, as well as our initial encounter with SIAL.

The Imported Food Network was still a young platform at that time, while SIAL had only eight years of presence in China. A fledgling platform and a fast‑growing international exhibition crossed paths in the Shanghai exhibition hall. We had limited resources, merely one booth and our original aspiration: Based in China, Serving the World.

Joint Development: 2009, From Exhibitor to Service Provider

The partnership between the Imported Food Network and SIAL underwent a qualitative leap in 2009.

We officially signed a long‑term cooperation agreement with SIAL Paris and grew into one of its key media partners. No longer merely an exhibitor, we began delivering promotion and publicity services for SIAL. This constituted our first stride from "Being Seen" to "Being Needed".

The 10th‑anniversary SIAL China was hosted in Shanghai in 2009, when our platform took in‑depth charge of exhibition promotion. Ever since then, the Imported Food Network has taken part in pre‑event publicity, buyer recruitment and on‑site coverage for every SIAL session.

In‑Depth Commitment: From Witness to Co‑builder

Our collaboration kept expanding over the following decade‑plus.

By 2012, SIAL had emerged as one of Asia’s flagship comprehensive food expos. We witnessed its rapid expansion across China and broadened our services from basic media outreach to a full‑fledged service chain covering buyer invitation, Match‑Me supply‑demand matching and on‑site trade negotiations.

In 2023, SIAL adopted a dual‑city operation model with events held in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The Imported Food Network fully backed this two‑city layout and brought over 800 premium nationwide purchasers to the matchmaking sessions. That year marked our 15‑year‑long partnership with SIAL.

For more than ten consecutive years, we have delivered professional trade‑matching services. We have gathered hundreds of major buyers including regional distributors, supermarket chains, wholesalers, specialty stores and e‑commerce operators for SIAL Match‑Me events, substantially boosting the deal‑closing rate between overseas exhibitors and Chinese purchasers.

Shared Journey: 2024‑2026, Expanding from Shanghai and Shenzhen to Guangzhou

SIAL Shanghai reopened in May 2024. Upon the organizer’s invitation, our team attended the show. On opening day, we conducted exclusive on‑site interviews with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and listed firm Pinvow Foods, drawing widespread attention at the expo. That September, we attended SIAL Shenzhen again as a core official media partner.

From September 3 to 5, 2026, SIAL will stage its debut Guangzhou edition at the Poly World Trade Center Expo. This is another pivotal domestic layout following its Shanghai and Shenzhen stops. The Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area is home to 86‑million high‑consumption residents and a GDP exceeding 15 trillion yuan. It serves as a vital springboard for Chinese food‑and‑beverage brands to enter Southeast‑Asian markets and connect with Asia and the whole globe.

Next month, the Imported Food Network will head for Guangzhou as a key official media partner for this landmark industry gala where world‑class exhibitions meet iconic cities. From Shanghai to Shenzhen, and onward to Guangzhou, every new footprint SIAL leaves across China has been witnessed and supported by our team.

Insight: Nineteen Years of Mutually‑Rewarding Growth

By 2026, our partnership with SIAL has spanned 19 years.

Over these two decades, SIAL has grown from a new‑comer to China into one of the world’s top‑three food expos, with events running across Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou. Meanwhile, the Imported Food Network has evolved from a startup platform into a professional trade bridge linking more than 100 countries and regions worldwide. Riding the same industry tide, we have witnessed and helped build one another’s success.

From Shanghai to Shenzhen and then Guangzhou, each new exhibition venue marks the expansion of our cooperative territory. Our role shifts from exhibitor to service provider, and from witness to co‑builder, with every transition signifying deeper‑rooted mutual trust.

The transformation from "Being Seen" to "Being Needed" never arrives with the mere passage of time. It stems from accumulated trust earned through consistent professionalism.

Our single exhibition booth back in 2007 was where SIAL first helped us get noticed. Nineteen years of precise buyer recruitment and efficient supply‑demand matching have made us indispensable. The 2026 Guangzhou Expo stands as our brand‑new starting‑point to forge ahead side‑by‑side.