ECCECHINA approaches the close of Year Two

26 June 2026 – The in-store promotional activities carried out as part of ECCECHINA, the project promoted by Unaprol – Consorzio Olivicolo Italiano e co-funded by the European Union, dedicated to promoting certified DOP, IGP and organic European extra virgin olive oil on the Chinese market.

The initiatives, hosted at the CornersDeli stores in the Guangzhou and Dongguan area, gave consumers the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of European EVO oil through guided tastings, informational activities and dedicated materials. An opportunity to convey the quality, origin and distinctive characteristics of certified European productions, with particular focus on Olio EVO Toscano IGP.

The ongoing in-store promotions represent a bridge between the second and third year of ECCECHINA. As the project prepares to close its second year of activity, dedicated to the theme of taste, on-the-ground initiatives continue to strengthen dialogue with consumers and operators in the Chinese market.

Throughout the year the project engaged sector professionals, distribution operators and consumers through a series of targeted initiatives. Among these, the workshop institutional held in January at the Guangzhou City Polytechnic, aimed at buyers and distribution category managers, which explored the sensory and qualitative characteristics of certified European DOP, IGP and organic oils. Also in January, the project’s Four Seasons Hotel Guangzhou hosted the international press conference  , a forum for importers, distributors, food & beverage operators and specialist media on the opportunities offered by the Chinese market for quality European extra virgin olive oil.

Between May and June, the project also promoted activities dedicated to the restaurant sector through a network of selected restaurants, where consumers were able to experience the use of European EVO oil paired with a variety of gastronomic offerings, fostering a dialogue between Mediterranean food culture and Chinese culinary tradition.

The results of Year Two fit into a particularly favourable market scenario. After the slowdown recorded in recent years following the rise in international prices, olive oil consumption in China is showing signs of recovery. According to estimates from the International Olive Council as reported by OilCN, Chinese consumption is expected to reach approximately 53,000 tonnes in the 2024/25 season, confirming the potential of a market that over the past fifteen years has grown from around 12,000 tonnes per year to nearly 58,000 tonnes at peak expansion periods.

Underpinning this growth continue to be structural factors such as the growing consumer focus on health, wellness and balanced nutrition, along with the growing interest in the Mediterranean diet and in food products that guarantee quality, traceability and safety.

In this context, the activities developed by ECCECHINA contribute to strengthening awareness of European certifications and to consolidate the positioning of quality European extra virgin olive oil among Chinese consumers and professional operators, creating the conditions for further demand growth in the coming years.

With the conclusion of Year Two, the project now prepares to embark on its third and final year of activity, continuing its path of promotion and information dedicated to the excellence of European extra virgin olive oil on the Chinese market.

For more information, visit the official website https://enjoyeuevoo.eu/it/ and the Weibo and We Chat.