On September 21, the Garlic Conference 2026 was successfully held at the International Garlic Capital Center. Centered around the theme "Connecting the world, winning the future with garlic," the conference brought together distinguished guests, including representatives from foreign embassies in China, government officials from major garlic-importing countries, domestic and international importers and exporters, and executives from cross-border e-commerce platforms, to jointly explore new paths for international cooperation in the garlic industry.
What we shared?
Mr. Zhang Liming, Chairman of the Garlic Subcommittee of the China Chamber of Commerce of I/E of Foodstuffs, Native Produce and Animal By-Products (CFNA) and Chairman of Foodmeritt, delivered an opening address at the ceremony.
In his speech, Chairman Zhang highlighted three pivotal shifts currently reshaping China's garlic industry:
• Shifting Export Structure: China maintains its solid dominance in the global garlic market, with the three major producing regions-Shandong, Jiangsu, and Henan-having established a comprehensive supply chain spanning from scientific cultivation to global marketing. In recent years, garlic export volumes have continually hit record highs. Notably, exports of deep-processed products like brined and frozen garlic have experienced explosive growth, while health-oriented innovations such as black garlic, garlic oil, and garlic extracts have secured major market breakthroughs. China's garlic export is transitioning from primary fresh produce toward a continuously expanding portfolio of high-value-added products.
• Restructuring Domestic Market: Driven by the "Greater Food View" concept, consumption upgrades are fueling a rapid rise in demand for healthy, functional, and convenient foods. Deep-processed garlic products, aligned with future food trends, hold immense market potential. The industry must leverage modern processing technologies, such as bio-extraction and fermentation, to fully unlock the nutritional and functional benefits of garlic.
• Digital Transformation Across the Supply Chain: A new wave of technological revolution centered on Artificial Intelligence is accelerating its penetration into agriculture. The Chamber will actively promote the integration of digital and intelligent technologies across cultivation, warehousing, production, and sales to drive industry upgrades and iterations.
What we learnt?
Beyond our own presentations, this conference highlighted several critical industry trends:
• Strengthened Export Matchmaking: The Jining Export Agricultural Products Precision Procurement Matchmaking Event, held concurrently, demonstrated that local governments are proactively building export channels to connect local enterprises directly with overseas buyers. This provides tangible resources for export-oriented companies.
• Enhanced Brand and Geographical Indication (GI) Protection: A dedicated Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection workstation was established at the venue. Enforcement officers conducted multiple rounds of inspections throughout the exhibition to ensure the standardized use of GI logos, trademark and patent labels, and compliant advertising. As a GI product, Jinxiang garlic is receiving intensified brand protection. This reflects an industry shift from volume-driven to brand-driven competition, directly benefiting compliant and standardized exporters.
• Consensus on Deep Processing: From the core theme of "High-Quality Development" to various panel discussions, deep-processed products-such as dehydrated garlic, black garlic, garlic powder, and garlic granules-were repeatedly emphasized. This aligns perfectly with our long-standing market assessment: customer demand for deep-processed products is growing, alongside higher expectations for quality and supply stability.
What This Means for Us?
This annual conference has reinforced our vision: China's garlic industry is transitioning from "winning by volume" to "empowering through quality." For Foodmeritt, this means we will continue to deepen our expertise in deep-processed products like dehydrated garlic and black garlic, further strengthening our quality control and supply consistency.
We are already bringing these industry insights back to our facilities to continuously optimize our products and services.
If you are looking to source high-quality garlic products, we welcome the opportunity to connect and collaborate.
