Gardners Candies Exporting to China

Gardners Candies has signed an agreement with Chairman

Fanchaobin of Shenzen Health Food Co., located in the Guangdong

Province of China, to do business with his company, said Gardners’ President Sam Phillips.

Chairman Fanchaobin, whose company operates

85 food stores under the “VVO” label, plans on carrying selected Gardners items in his stores. During a tour to Gardners Candies plant in Tyrone the Chairman said through a translator “I am here to investigate the American food markets and to investigate how the factory works and explore business cooperation.”

“This is our first venture in the Chinese market. This is a unique opportunity for us, and we hope it will result in a long-term relationship with Chairman Fanchaobin and his customers in China,” Phillips said. “We don’t know what to expect. We are going to see how Gardners is accepted in China. Chinese tastes are different; we think it will do very well.”

“It is a great opportunity for Gardners to get into China and look at other countries. It gives them the opportunity to sell into a different market and create jobs here as they expand,” said Tina Taylor, International Trade Program Manager for the Southern Alleghenies

Planning and Development Commission. “If this goes well, it would require them to increase production, which would lead to job and sales growth.”

“You like to see these arrangements with these companies, which will allow them to expand their operation. I think it is a real opportunity for them and allow them to grow their business. Hopefully it is a long-term arrangement,” said Marty Marasco, president and CEO of Altoona-Blair County Development Corp.

After the plant tour a group of business leaders joined Phillips and Chairman Fanchaobin on visits to Gardners Candies stores in Tyrone and Logan Town Centre. In addition, the group also toured two other Blair County food manufacturers, DelGrosso Foods in Tipton and Shirley’s Cookies in Claysburg to highlight additional products that could be exported to China and VVO stores.