Natural, Healthy, Fresh, Safe, Delicious

A few times in the past two weeks we passed this sign outside a Wudaokou bakery, and it catches my eye every time. Back home in the US, I don't often see a food chain use the word "safe" (Chinese word 安全 anquán) as part of its marketing. However, this is Beijing, and consumers need their assurances.

 

 More after the jump 

Recently the public radio program Marketplace ran a series of stories by Rob Schmitz titled "China's Toxic Harvest." In one installment he talked about the growing interest in imported food from Chinese customers. Grocery stores that specialize in food imported from outside of China have largely catered to the expat population, people motivated to buy familiar products for whatever reason at a premium price.

We've always walked a balance between buying local and imported food. When we first came to China, in 2006, it seemed that food was safer here than in the US as there were several vegetable e. coli contaminaion recalls around that time. Then the milk melamine scandal broke in 2008 and we've had to question every single product we buy. Milk was the first one we switched to imported, but that was before the scandal and based more on taste than anything else.

When we've shopped at a popular import grocery store in Shunyi, a part of Beijing most associated with luxury villa estates for wealthy Chinese and well-compensated expats, we've noticed a lot more local Chinese customers than we had a few years ago. Part of that is simply due to the growth of the area, but I wonder how much is due to what Rob observed in his report, that imported food is becoming very interesting to Chinese people who can afford it.

But it isn't just the richest folk who are looking for assurances that their food is safe. One afternoon one of Myles' Changping friends was studying at our house. He saw me pour cups of milk for Myles and Brigid and came rushing into the kitchen to see what brand we were using. On that day we were drinking an American organic brand from UHT packaging. Excitedly, he called to his mother in the other room to come see it. Apparently they had been discussing imported milk in their home, but had no idea where to buy it.

I told them that what we had on hand we had purchased during one of our weekly trips to Shunyi. They were also familiar with Shunyi, and the import grocery store, because Myles' friend also plays sports in that area. I also suggested that they look in our local Wal-Mart as they occasionally stock German and New Zealand dairy products. It was such an interesting change from what I used to hear years ago in Shenzhen about Western food being the source of obesity. Perhaps that fear still exists, but it might be outweighed by wanting something 安全.

(Related: Imported infant formula and other milk powders are a very hot commodity in China. Globally, other countries, like the UK,  are placing restrictions on sales of the stuff because so many people are buying out stock to bring or ship to China for their own use or resale. Hong Kong has made it a criminal offense to carry to much milk powder across the border into China. Since the law was enacted, arrests for milk smuggling have reportedly exceeded those for heroin. The Chinese dairy industry has released a study that Chinese brands are more nutritious than the pricier imports. I wonder if it will change minds.)