Premier Brian Gallant met with representatives of one of China’s leading supermarket chains to explore potential new markets for New Brunswick wild blueberries as part of the current trade mission to China.

“Our strategy to develop the blueberry sector and support all producers in New Brunswick includes the focus on opening up new markets for exports,” said Gallant. “This will help local blueberry producers sell their products at a reasonable price.”

The development of the wild blueberry sector has been identified as a key opportunity under the New Brunswick Economic Growth Plan.

Gallant and an official from Oxford Frozen Foods met with representatives of the China Resources Vanguard supermarket chain, which is a large, multi-sector, influential state-owned company with interests in multiple manufacturing and retail sectors. It is responsible for more than 4,400 stores nationwide.

Oxford Frozen Foods is the world’s largest grower and supplier of wild blueberries. It also owns the Acadian Wild Blueberry Co., which recently opened a state-of-the-art wild blueberry processing facility in northern New Brunswick.

“We have a comprehensive five-year development strategy that will help ensure New Brunswick becomes one of the world’s biggest producers of wild blueberries,” said Gallant.

“As a government, we recognize the enormous economic potential of this sector, and we are committed to working with all producers to support its growth.”

Other New Brunswick companies represented at the meeting with China Resources Vanguard included Prelam Enterprises, LA Trading, Groupe Westco, SC&W Solutions, Dantra Specialty Products, and Cooke Aquaculture. The delegation will also meet with leading e-commerce companies JD.com and Alibaba during the mission.

Gallant is leading New Brunswick’s largest-ever multi-sector delegation to China, with more than 15 business and two universities participating in the nine-day mission.