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Search On April 22, 2024, The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) China Day was held at the Pudong Kerry Hotel in Shanghai. The event featured CEO-level speakers from leading consumer goods companies, along with executives and professionals from various sectors, who discussed pressing challenges and opportunities in the industry. Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of The CGF, introduced the forum’s global strategic framework, emphasising areas for acceleration and global activities. Dirk van de Put, Chairman and CEO of Mondelez, and Jeffrey Lu, Vice-Chairman and Executive Director of Mengniu Group, also delivered speeches, calling for active collaboration to enhance positive impacts in the industry.
Key highlights included Mengniu‘s achievements in new products such as fresh milk, cheese, and sports nutrition. Jeffrey Lu and Tino Zeiske, President of Metro China, emphasised the importance of digital solutions and investments for improving business efficiency. Discussions led by Weiwen Han from Bain & Company, as well as insights from Larry Feng of Mars Wrigley China and Xiaobing Chong, highlighted China’s crucial market position. Susan Gu from Haleon urged support for CGF’s “Digital Solutions for Preventive Health Action Manual.” The event also featured the presentation of the 2024 China Consumer Products Industry Health Action – Industry Leader Award to Unilever Foods China Co. Ltd. The forum concluded with a keynote by Shaohua Pu, President of Bailian Group, focusing on sustainable and shared prosperity in the consumer goods industry. Following the main event, three parallel conferences were held on April 23rd, further contributing to the dialogue on industry advancements.
Digital Supply Chain Roundtable (23rd of April)
On April 23rd, The CGF China Digital Supply Chain Roundtable 2024, themed “Pursuit of Harmony in Turmoil: Working Together to Make a Difference,” was held at the Kerry Hotel Pudong, Shanghai. Attendees discussed various topics such as “Product Data,” “Consumer-Centric Omnichannel Supply Chain,” “Digital Supply Chain in the Era of AI,” and “Green Sustainable Supply Chain.” Notable speakers included Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of The CGF, Ruediger Hagedorn, Global Director of End-to-End Value Chain, CGF, and Tom Rose, Head of International Operations, SPAR & CGF E2E Value Chain Co-Chair, who shared insights on optimizing logistics efficiency and promoting sustainable practices within the value chain.
The event also featured Sophie Quan from P&G China, who highlighted the importance of master data management, and Fengming Mao from GS1 China, who discussed the role of digital services in supply chain efficiency. Additional speakers included Suan Win Lee from Nestlé, Fengshan Pan from Mingkanghui, and Andrew Ji from KPMG, who explored supply chain innovations and digital transformations. The roundtable concluded with a panel discussion moderated by Andrew Ji, featuring industry experts who shared practical experiences and emphasized the need for collaboration and digital infrastructure to enhance supply chain efficiency and sustainability.
GFSI Roundtable (23rd of April)
The CGF China GFSI Roundtable 2024 was held on April 23rd and focused on “Food Safety Digitisation” and “GFSI Strategic Development in China”. The morning session, moderated by Kelvin Chen from METRO Commerce Group and Wumei Tech, featured welcome messages from Erica Sheward, GFSI Director, and Wai-Chan Chan, CGF Managing Director. Discussions highlighted the importance of digital tools in enhancing food safety, with presentations from industry leaders like Sanjeev Sharma from PepsiCo APAC and Shuixian Xiao from Alibaba Local Services, who shared insights on leveraging digitisation and ESG principles for food safety and green development.
The event also included various roundtable discussions. One notable session, hosted by Qingli Dong from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, focused on how digitalisation empowers food safety, with contributions from representatives of Danone, Starbucks China, and Nestlé ZGC. Another session, moderated by Chongming Wang from China Food Safety Magazine, delved into new food safety technologies, specifically digital labelling. In the afternoon, discussions shifted towards GFSI’s strategic development in China, featuring talks by leaders like Deyin Wu from Ding Dong and the introduction of GFSI-recognised certification practices. The roundtable concluded with sessions on SME capability building and public-private partnership (PPP) in food safety governance, underscoring the collaborative efforts needed to advance food safety standards.
Health & Sustainability Collaboration Conference (23rd of April)
On April 23rd, The CGF Health and Sustainability Collaboration Conference 2024 addressed key topics, including carbon reduction, consumer and employee health, deforestation, food waste, and sustainable packaging. Qi Zhang from Nestlé and Hongliang Luo from Danone hosted the event, highlighting the importance of sustainability in consumer goods. Sharon Bligh from The Consumer Goods Forum discussed initiatives like the Collaboration for Healthier Lives and the Net Zero CoA, emphasising the industry’s commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Prominent speakers included David Fang from Nestlé, who outlined Nestlé’s roadmap to net zero carbon emissions and sustainable practices, and Wei Tang from Unilever, who showcased initiatives to improve workforce nutrition. Various panels covered diverse topics: green transformation for China’s dual carbon goals, enhancing consumer health literacy, and improving employee well-being. The conference also featured discussions on reducing food waste, promoting deforestation-free supply chains, and advancing sustainable packaging practices. Insights were shared by industry leaders from companies like Walmart, Danone, and P&G, focusing on innovative strategies and collaborations to foster sustainability and resilience in the consumer goods sector.
