New supply relationships at wholesale market near Beijing have opened up huge new sales opportunities for British-owned fruit importer
Richard Hochfeld’s Asian imports business Hiya Fruit has expanded in China by establishing new supply relationships at the Gaobeidian wholesale market in Hebei province, 90km south of Beijing.
The fruit importer and supplier, which opened a new office in Shanghai in 2025, already has a strong position in Shanghai, as well as Shenzhen and Guangzhou, where it recently hired a new sales manager.
Now, thanks to its new links in Hebei, the business has gained a foothold in Beijing, opening up a market of more than 20 million people. However, Shanghai will continue to be the company’s main hub in China.
To support this expansion, Hiya Fruit’s supply volumes in China have increased by 20-30 per cent over the past year, mainly driven by tropical fruits such as pineapple.
The business has begun selling fruit under its own label in the country, including Thai durian and Chinese blueberries, which Hiya Fruit is supplying for the second year.
Nevertheless, Hochfeld International MD Martin O’Sullivan highlighted the pros and cons of selling fruit under its own retail brand, noting that fruit quality from third-party growers can sometimes vary, which can jeopardise brand reputation.
“We’re also looking at supply to Southeast Asia,” O’Sullivan told Fruitnet. “We’ve sent trial containers to Vietnam and are having conversations with potential customers in Cambodia. But our main business will continue to be China, and we’re focused on continuing to grow the Chinese market slowly and sustainably.”
