Since the opening of the Portuguese- speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre, known as the Glass House, in Macao in March 2016, the number of products displayed there has almost doubled from 700 to more than 1,200. The centre has helped multiply opportunities for business between Mainland China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, so increasing trade and other economic exchanges between them.

The exhibition centre, located in the Tap Seac Square business centre, has so far attracted 140 businesses in Macao and abroad to exhibit at the 400-square-metre showroom.

The Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre displays a wide array of food from Portuguese-speaking Countries. There are products using organically grown ingredients, snacks, tinned food, coffee and alcoholic drinks.

Each product displayed has its own QR code which visitors can scan to obtain detailed information relevant to the product, such as the background of the supplier. Visitors can even place orders for some products on the spot by scanning the QR code, which gives access to a third-party website that allows instant business-to-consumer commerce in three languages: Chinese, Portuguese and English.

The Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre has additionally launched a smart guide on the products and services of Portuguese-speaking Countries in Macao that allows the public to use their smartphones to find unique food products, souvenirs and restaurants in Macao. The centre also operates in tandem with a website, the Economic & Trade Co-operation and Human Resources Portal between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries, at www.platformchinaplp.mo, creating an online-to-offine synergy.

The centre displays a wide array of food from Portuguese-speaking Countries

The Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre opened in March 2016

Taste buds tickled

Macao is establishing itself as a Commercial and Trade Co-operation Service Platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking Countries. The Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre is part of that effort.

Macau Fine Wine Bazaar Co. Ltd is a local wine importer. It has been an enthusiastic exhibitor in the Glass House since early 2017. “We are displaying over 10 types of wine at the exhibition centre. They are all sourced and imported direct from our partner-vineyards in Portugal,” says Macau Fine Wine Bazaar owner Guiomar Pedruco.

Ms Pedruco believes displaying her fine merchandise in the Portuguese-speaking Countries Food Products Exhibition Centre is an efficient way of reaching potential customers in Greater China and increasing the awareness of the brands. “When visitors see our brands in the Centre, it gives them greater condence in our products,” she says.

“The way that most people order wine in restaurants is to look for familiar names on the wine list,” Ms Pedruco says. “ at being the logic, the more our products are exposed to the public, the more likely it is that people will order our wines if they remember seeing the brand name somewhere before.”

She says the market for wine has become more competitive in Macao in recent years as the import tax has decreased. “To go further, we started participating in trade shows in Mainland China with the Macao Government quite a while ago, which really helped establish our credibility among potential customers. We are also very grateful and positive about being part of the showroom here in Macao, and we look forward to the growth in the long run.”

“To go further, we started participating in trade shows in Mainland China with the Macao Government quite a while ago, which really helped establish our credibility among potential customers.” Owner of Macau Fine Wine Bazaar, Guiomar Pedruco