KOTRA holds premium consumer goods fair in Chongqing with 46 Korean firms

South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises are pushing into Chongqing, the Chinese city that last year overtook Shanghai to become the country's largest consumer market. Forty-six domestic consumer goods companies met directly with local distributors to explore export opportunities, and on-site export contracts worth $1.3 million were signed during the event.

The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, known as KOTRA, announced Monday that it co-hosted the "2026 Korea Premium Consumer Goods Promotion Fair" with the Chongqing municipal government at Guanyinqiao in Chongqing from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1.

The three-day fair drew 46 South Korean small and medium-sized enterprises and specialized trading companies dealing in cosmetics, fashion, food and lifestyle products. More than 40 local department stores, distributors and purchasing firms also attended to assess the prospects for Korean products in China's inland market.

Chongqing has seen rapid growth in its consumer market in recent years. According to statistics released by the local government, the city's total retail sales of consumer goods last year reached 1.67 trillion yuan, up 3.1 percent from the previous year. Shanghai recorded 1.66 trillion yuan in retail sales over the same period, putting Chongqing ahead of Shanghai and at the top among all Chinese cities.

Chongqing is also the only city in the central and western regions among the five "international consumption center cities" designated by the Chinese government in 2021. The city has recently been investing in what it calls a "launch economy" — introducing new brands and products for the first time — alongside experiential shopping spaces and initiatives to boost spending by foreign tourists.

The fair was held at Guanyinqiao, one of Chongqing's most prominent commercial districts. The area draws an average of 600,000 visitors on weekdays and up to 1 million on weekends, with a particularly strong presence of younger consumers.

KOTRA organized the event to allow Korean products to be sold directly on-site while also gauging the response of local consumers. Participating companies engaged visitors not only through product displays and sales but also through tasting sessions and hands-on experience events.

The fair also featured K-pop dance performances, hallyu star music video screenings and prize giveaways — programs designed to convert interest in Korean cultural content into purchases of consumer goods.

A key focus of the promotion fair was expanding direct trade between local distributors and South Korean companies. The aim was to secure new sales channels in China's inland regions, where Korean consumer goods have had comparatively limited access to distribution networks compared with coastal cities.

KOTRA worked with Xinshiji department store, a leading Chongqing retailer, to operate a dedicated distribution pavilion where South Korean companies held one-on-one meetings with local buyers to discuss supply terms and the possibility of entering their stores.

A total of 17 companies participated in the distribution pavilion, including three specialized trading companies and firms from Cheongju, Jeju and Chuncheon — giving regional small and medium-sized enterprises a direct line to inland Chinese distribution networks.

Export contracts were also concluded on the spot. One South Korean beverage company signed a $1.3 million export deal with a local purchasing firm.

A representative of the local purchasing firm said many competitive Korean products had yet to reach stores in inland regions, adding that the company planned to expand imports further going forward.

A slowdown in China's consumer market growth is a variable South Korean companies will need to watch. According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, total retail sales of consumer goods in China rose just 1.1 percent year-on-year in the January–September period this year.

With China's domestic market recovering at an uneven pace across product categories, it is becoming increasingly important for South Korean companies to understand local consumer demand and secure stable distribution networks.

KOTRA plans to support follow-up negotiations for companies connected through the fair. The agency will continue discussions on store entry with Xinshiji department store and other local distributors, and will also provide consulting on logistics and customs clearance. The goal is to ensure that on-site consultations lead to actual supply contracts and long-term business relationships.

Jang Sang-hae, head of KOTRA's China regional headquarters, said business cooperation between companies of the two countries had grown more active since the Korea-China summit in January. "As the center of gravity in Chinese consumption spreads from the coast to the inland regions, we will use this promotion fair as a springboard to partner with local Chinese governments and expand our efforts to break into key inland consumer markets and develop new distribution channels," Jang said.