Double Eleven, China's annual online shopping bonanza, is just two days away. It's a period of time when millions of retailers dish out their biggest discounts of the year. In the run up to Double 11, we've been profiling some of the international brands looking to make an impact with online shoppers in China. And Camels could be in demand, as Jacob Greaves explains from Dubai.
From the desert to the doorstep of Chinese consumers, there appears to be a growing taste for camel milk. Be it drinks and confectionery or beauty products; for companies in the UAE, Asia, and in particular China, has become a major market. And one such company is anticipating a major sales boost.
SAEED BIN SUBAIH General Manager, Camelicious "Double 11 has become the largest shopping day online and offline in the world so we are ready for that with our products like the camel milk powder and our new products as well and we are expecting an increase of 80%. And the Chinese market is very important for us, our sales, almost 75% of our sales go to the Chinese market and we're expecting an increase on that market, that's why we're planning to buy more camels and have new products as per the market demands."
It could provide a welcome relief from Covid-19, that has impacted sales, delayed projects and dented revenue. But it begs the question, why China?
SAEED BIN SUBAIH General Manager, Camelicious "Chinese people they are reading about the benefits of camel milk, that's why the demand has increased significantly."
It comes amid a growing global trend for alternative milk products. Production here started back in 2003 with just 25 camels largely serving local demand, since then the operation has multiplied.
JACOB GREAVES "There's close to 9000 camels on this site on the outskirts of Dubai, for Camelicious that translates at around 4 million litres of camel milk being produced every year."
They're targeting eventually having 20,000 camels on site, which means maintaining standards as they grow.
DR. PETER NAGY Farm Manager, Camelicious "We are developing and changing constantly day-by-day, that is actually a major challenge that we have to keep our quality constant, with a constant increase in size and that is a major challenge for any organization and in any kind of industry."
Camel milk isn't just in demand for consumption. This is the camel milk soap factory in Dubai. Normally they rely on in-store purchases from Chinese tourists, but since Covid-19 struck they've been forced to grow their e-commerce business.
STEVI LOWMASS CEO, Camel Soap Factory "The next step for us is to go onto one of the really big platforms like T-mall, but this, it will take probably 5-6 months. So I'm hoping by the middle of next year that we will be properly set up. With a really solid e-commerce storefront in China."
Amid the travel disruption caused by the pandemic, manufacturers are increasingly looking online to milk the growing demand for Camel products. JG, CGTN, Dubai.
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