Who We Are

The Association Europe China for Food Culture Interchange (AECICA) is a non-profit organization which objective is the exchange and dissemination of information between Europe and China in the agro food sector, in order to promote co-operation and build networks that can ultimately lead to China-EU mutual development.

Our platform brings together producers, importers, distributors, authorities, associations, university professors, from both Europe and China, fostering, promoting and encouraging information exchange, networking and relationships building.

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We build relationships
We build trust

What Aecica Does

The Association first of all represents a powerful networking platform for Europeans and Chinese operators, no matter what their goal is, learning, making contacts, or just making business connections.

Our task is creating the proper conditions to overcome language and mentality difficulties among culturally different parties interested in cooperating with each other, sharing knowledge, skills or resources, in order to achieve mutually advantageous goals.

We do so arranging various types of cultural, promotional or business oriented meetings and activities, both in Europe and China.

  • Support for institutions
  • Contacts for business
  • Platform for information exchange
  • Events organization

  • Support for business

  • Business Tours

  • Training

  • Networking

Events organization


One of the core activities of the Association is to organize business oriented meetings between European and Chinese operators in order to promote the establishment of commercial agreements, such as trade fairs, focused B2B meetings, workshops and tailor-made matchmaking events.

We organize every detail, from organizing the event, reserving the flights and hotels to all other arrangements, delivering completed package which saves time to the participants, who can thus focus on the essential issues. But as Associations we can do much more, such as :

  • Participants selection. The importers/distributor we invite at our events are selected for their relevance to the participating producers, quality and range in their portfolios and the strength of their sales channels, and above all – real interest in closing deals.
  • Visibility. We organize our events with just one rule in mind: the right setting is where you find the right prospects. For such reason we go only in places where we have strong relationships with local authorities, who can introduce our participants to the right people. And through various projects and our connections we can also secure funding for participation.
  • Mediation: culture and language differences create divides which may goes in the way of finalizing agreements advantageous to both sides. We take such variable out of the equation.

"Our goal is to create the conditions in which each party can successfully find the right counterpart"

Support for business


We offer strategic advisory services to businesses which plan to develop and expand their operations in China, including small companies that are seeking opportunities that best suit their company needs and capacities.

Internationalization is risky, and companies must choose appropriate paths and approaches while adapting to a different country culture and business environment, especially when it comes to different ones.

We provide support in partner search and scouting, selecting agents and distributors, market entry strategies and distribution channels development, policy and regulatory standards, customs clearance procedures, warehousing and distribution, international logistics as well as translations and due diligence. And we offer a proven record of success.

"The success of our members in China is our success"

Organization of business tours in Europe


The Association Europe China for food culture interchange organizes international travels to Europe for Chinese businessmen interested in combining business, training and tourism.

Such travel include leisure activities (visiting famous cities, monuments and shopping), as well as business opportunities, such as visiting wineries in order to purchase wines, attending to training programs and courses, visiting important food producers and meetings with local government members, associations, certification bodies or universities.

We provides all the relevant information and arrangements: visas issuance, flight and business hotel reservations, transportation, courses organization and meetings with local counterparts. As well as language support during the whole stay.

“Our tours are a unique asset: a tailor made opportunity for developing your business while visiting foreign countries“

Training


The Association Europe China for food culture interchange organizes trainings in the field of wine and spirit tasting, food production, quality and certification as well as health and safety management systems.

We furthermore support sector operators interested in specializing in specific fields by organizing short and medium term courses within renown Universities that results in qualifications and statements of attainment recognized throughout the world.

Course for brandy tasters

Networking


Networking creates opportunities: new partnerships, services or products will materialize as soon as you have the right connections.

Every person who ever worked in Europe knows the vital importance of relationships, and this is far more important in China. Our Association represents a powerful pool of resources and connections for both Europeans and Chinese operators.

We share our network with all the organizations interested in the creation of new Sino European partnerships, and offer our experience as cultural mediators to provide an opportunity to learn and avoid some of the common pitfalls experienced every day by people from different cultures when dealing with each other.

“More friends and more connections always means more solutions”

Sharing, Networking
growing

Our Team

The Association Europe China for Food Culture Interchange in its actual set-up was established on 16 June 2010, from the joint decision of the current board of directors, which acknowledged the need for more accessible information between Europe and China in the agro-food sector, and decided to fill the gap.

The Association Europe China for Food Culture Interchange’s main office is located in northern Italy, in the city with the oldest University of the world, Bologna.

On June 2013 the Association delegated the company Xiamen Pinyou Trade Co., Ltd. as authorized service providers of the Association in China, with the aim to provide information and/or services in China. Such support range from issuing visas for business visitors, to international travel arrangements, logistics and transportation services, information for the assessment of investments, trade services, custom clearance, personnel training, academic and cultural exchanges.

On September 2014 the Association Europe China for Food Culture Interchange set out to open a branch office in Budapest, Hungary.

dr. Sergio Marchesini

President

Bologna, Italy

Phd in International food Marketing and Economics at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna (Italy).

Current activity: language and cultural mediator between Europe and China, assist European producers, processors and organizations in identifying and developing business or cooperation opportunities in China, project manager, organizer of trade mission programs or exhibitions.

prof. Zeng Xiaofei

Vice president

Guangzhou, China

Vice Chairman of Expert Group of China Nutrition Alliance; Member of Expert Committee of China Health Care Association; Consultant of International Dietitian Association in China; International Registered Dietitian; President of Australian Institute of Nutritional Foods (Asia Pacific); Professor and Researcher of Shanghai Cixiang Biomedical Research Institute; Compound Omega 3 and other 11 patent inventors.

Professor Zeng Xiaofei is a doctor of nutrition from the American (AWU) University; a member of the expert group of China Education and Culture Research Center; he has taught at the National Nutrition and Health Care Professional Training Center; Peking University Guanghua College EMBA; Tsinghua University EMBA; Shanghai Jiaotong University Overseas College. He has more than 20 years of experience in education and training. He participated in the compilation of health education textbooks of the Ministry of Health, and has edited many books such as "Gene Nutrition", "Metabolic Classification Therapy", "500 Reasons to Get Out of Sub-Health", "Magic Fatty Acid Omega-3", "Magic Highland Fruit" and "Protector of Life".

dr. Huliyeti Hasimu

Secretary

Bologna, Italy

Phd in Agriculture Economics at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Bologna (Italy), and professor of International marketing at Xinjiang University (China).

Current activity: lecturer in international marketing and western Economics, project manager and coordinator in International University cooperation programs, language and cultural mediator between Europe and China, co-organizer of trade mission programs or exhibitions.

mr. Luo Tian

Chinese market consultant

Xiamen, China

Xiamen Pinyou Co., Ltd. is the only legally authorized partner and designated service providers of the Association Europe China fod Food culture Interchange in China.

The company is located in Xiamen, Modern Logistics Park, Xiangyu Road No. 97, International shipping center, Building D, Unit 801, and deals with organizing promotional activities, exhibitions, conferences, seminars and training courses, and arrangements for business trips to Europe. The main functions are supporting in business trip visas issuance and travel arrangements, providing trade and export services, transportation and customs, information on technologies, investments and projects, training, academic exchanges, cultural transmission.

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