On May 10, China Brand Day 2023, the "China Brand, Global Sharing; Brand New Strength, Quality New Life" theme officially kicked off at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center. 

Tens of thousands of visitors have flocked to the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Center to explore and sample the product displays brought by thousands of enterprises from all corners of the country. Meanwhile, local brands made a strong impression on the first day at the Chongqing Exhibition Hall with their unique "Chongqing flavor," leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

This year's China Brand Day includes the 2023 International Forum on China Brand Development and the China Brand Expo and aims to encourage relevant departments, local governments, state-owned enterprises (SOEs), media outlets, industry associations, brand service agencies, and others to organize their unique brand creation activities based on their actual circumstances.

According to the National Development and Reform Commission, starting 2017, May 10 has been designated as China Brand Day.

 Chongqing Exhibition Hall

The Chongqing delegation has selected 40 brands to participate in this event under the theme of "New Chongqing in the New Era and on the New Journey." 

 Among them, 14 Chongqing brands participating in the offline exhibition have become the main elements of the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, located in the H13 exhibition area of Shanghai World Expo Exhibition Hall 2. From Tianfu Cola, Zhoujunji, and Lalaizhuyi, to Tan Mujiang, visitors can experience the high-quality lifestyle of Chongqing through a range of well-known brands. Meanwhile, brands like Seres, Formovie, ZFSW, Sanfeng Environment, and THESEUS showcase Chongqing's manufacturing industry's intelligent, high-end, and green development achievements.

At the entrance of the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, a large LED screen with the shape of Chongqing's landmark building, Chaotianmen Raffles City Chongqing, changes rhythmically with various shades of light, creating a stunning view of Chongqing's night scene deep within the exhibition hall, attracting the attention of visitors from all over the country.

Entering through the "Raffles City Chongqing," the first thing that catches the eye is the God of Mountain lacquerware booth. Crafted from raw materials from Chengkou County, these wooden lacquerware products boast exquisite craftsmanship. When illuminated, the green bottles shimmer like jade, while the yellow ones sparkle like a colored glaze. Such stunning works have drawn the attention of many visitors who have stopped to admire and take photos to commemorate their visit.

Inside the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, there is a giant "nine-grid" exhibition platform. The "nine-grid" exhibit does not feature hot pot broth but rather an incredible array of specialty food products from Chongqing. These products include Zhou Junji hot pot base, Lalaizhuyi Xiaomian noodles, Zhujia Mountain honey, New Orange Era orange juice, Wubangshan camellia oil, and Yufeng gastrodia elata. These products are authorized brands under the regional brand for Chongqing agricultural products, known as "Bawei Yuzhen."

Next to the "nine-grid" exhibition platform is a negotiation area where the elements of Tianfu Cola take center stage. A giant exhibition stand shaped like a "Tianfu Cola bottle" catches the eye, displaying vintage glass bottled drinks such as brown Tianfu Cola, green Baining Lemon Soda, and orange Tianfu Orange Juice. Along with the red-packaged Tianfu Cola, which is available for visitors to enjoy for free at the negotiation table, it forms a colorful world of cola.

On the left side of the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, a sky-blue color scheme dominates, and this area brings together innovative high-tech enterprises representing Chongqing in this event. Two sets of wind turbine models from CSSC rotate gently with the breeze brought by the crowd, evoking images of Chongqing-manufactured wind power equipment gracefully turning in the deep sea. Nearby, a silver Seres AITO WENJIE 5 NEV attracted visitors' attention. As more and more visitors streamed into the exhibition hall, the booths of well-known brands such as Sanfeng Environment, THESEUS, ebaoquan, and Formovie became increasingly bustling. Patient staff members enthusiastically introduced the products that embody the spirit of "Made in Chongqing" and "Innovation in Chongqing," creating an atmosphere of lively interaction and exchange among the visitors.

Chongqing: A City Full of Flavor and Delight

Eating is a must-do activity when traveling to Chongqing. As visitors enter the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, their inner foodie tendencies naturally emerge. As each wave of visitors enters, the "nine-grid" exhibition platform becomes the first gathering place. The hospitable staff then offers various samples of Chongqing's culinary delights with a smile to the eager guests. New Orange Era juice and Tianfu Cola have become go-to gifts for visitors who have spent half a day exploring the exhibition.

"This cola tastes pretty good, and there's a hint of herbal flavor in it," said a few young girls in surprise and satisfaction after trying the pink cola produced by Tianfu Cola. As per Zhang Wenjin, the person in charge of Tianfu Cola at the Chongqing Exhibition Hall, due to the steady stream of visitors, they have already lost track of how many bottles of cola they have distributed to guests in the morning. 

"Some young people are still not familiar with the Tianfu Cola, which means that we still have a lot of room for improvement in brand awareness. However, they all acknowledge the taste of our cola and even say that Tianfu Cola has a high visual appeal," said He Ye, a newly employed new media specialist focusing on live streaming at the Tianfu Cola booth. She told the reporter that several thousand netizens had already tuned in during the first two-hour live stream in the morning. "Many people learned about our Tianfu Cola in Chongqing through the live stream," said she.

In just one morning, several Chongqing food brands received many order inquiries. During an interview with the reporter, the spokesperson for "Lalaizhuyi," a brand that embodies the flavor of Chongqing Xiaomian Noodles, was repeatedly approached by customers seeking to place orders on the spot.

Lalaizhuyi Xiaomian Noodles are a type of Chongqing-style noodle product that is pre-cooked and packaged for convenience. Their most notable feature is their high degree of authenticity, which accurately captures the local flavor of Chongqing's street-side noodle stalls and allows those outside the region to enjoy this unique taste easily. 

According to Yu Miao, the Business Director of Lalaizhuyi Xiaomian Noodles, the product's high authenticity can be attributed to three key factors. Firstly, the production process follows traditional methods and utilizes state-of-the-art frying equipment. Secondly, all raw materials are sourced locally from Chongqing, ensuring an authentic taste of the soup base. Lastly, advanced technology is used to maintain the noodles' freshness and moisture at room temperature for up to four months. These three elements work together to recreate the unique taste of Chongqing Xiaomian Noodles.

 "Actually, people from outside the region often have limited knowledge about Chongqing Xiaomian Noodles, despite the dish's popularity. Many visitors from outside of Chongqing who have never tasted authentic Xiaomian noodles are only familiar with its name but not its taste. Our products replicate the ingredients and flavors of Chongqing Xiaomian Noodles through pre-made dishes, allowing those who have not visited Chongqing to taste authentic Xiaomian Noodles. Those who have fallen in love with Xiaomian Noodles during their visit to Chongqing can also pack and bring back the real Chongqing Xiaomian Noodles."