中国·福州——热爱城市从热爱美食开始

Fuzhou Metropolitan Area New Year Goods Expo Bustling with Crowds. Photo by Ye Junhao

On January 10, the First Fuzhou Metropolitan Area New Year Goods Expo kicked off at Hall 9 of the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center. Organized under the guidance of the municipal government and supported by the Municipal Bureau of Commerce, the event was hosted by Fuzhou Convention and Exhibition Group Co., Ltd. and Fuzhou Press Media Co., Ltd. As Fuzhou’s first large-scale consumption promotion event of 2025, this event provides a one-stop solution for citizens’ diverse needs—from food, beverages, and accommodation to transportation, travel, entertainment, and shopping. It has become a prime destination for New Year shopping.

As the Spring Festival approaches, citizens’ enthusiasm for purchasing New Year goods is growing. What are people buying at the New Year Goods Fair? On January 15, our reporter visited the event to explore and uncover the answer.

A Showcase of Premium Local Products

Strong Consumer Demand Fuels Festive Shopping

“Has my pre-ordered fruit and dried goods arrived?”

“Yes, they’re right here! Please check your order!”

Upon entering Hall 9 of the Fuzhou Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center on the morning of the 15th, the reporter was immediately greeted by enthusiastic exchanges and a lively atmosphere. Following the crowd, the vibrant red-themed booth of Mintian Group came into view, radiating a bustling and festive vibe.

At the booth, Zhang Xinrong, the on-site manager, was busy taking inventory of newly replenished products like fruits and fresh meat while packing orders for customers.

“Our sales are increasing daily, and now we need to restock all categories at least once a day,” Zhang told the reporter. The group has brought specialty products from its five wholesale markets—fruits, dried goods, frozen foods, vegetables, and meats—directly to the fair. This allows consumers to buy the freshest products at wholesale prices without having to make a trip to Nantong.

Meanwhile, the “Good Gifts in Fuzhou” booth, a collaboration between the event organizers and the Fuzhou Juchunyuan Group, is also drawing large crowds. As the largest booth at the fair, it features over a hundred products, ranging from festive wedding candies and cakes to its star dish, Fotiaoqiang, as well as auspicious gift sets and innovative cultural products. With such a wide variety, shoppers of all ages can find New Year’s goods that meet their needs.

As the New Year goods market continues to boom, floral products have also become a big hit. Narcissus from Pingtan, succulents from Nanyu, and festive New Year flowers have added even more color to the fair. “We’ve specially introduced easy-to-carry, hand-held packaging for the event, and both bellflowers and narcissus have been selling like hotcakes over the past two days,” said Chen Mo, a representative from Gaosu Flower Expo Garden, with great enthusiasm.

“I originally planned to buy some wedding candies and pastries, but I was surprised by the variety here. I feel like I can get everything I need for the entire Spring Festival in one place!” said Ms. Qiu, a visitor whose hands were already full of purchases before she had even explored the entire venue. After inquiring about the event’s duration, she eagerly expressed her plans to return for another shopping trip.

A Feast of Delicacies from Near and Far

Under the banner of the Fuzhou Metropolitan Area, this New Year Goods Expo stands out not only for its wide variety of festive products but also for its selection of specialty goods from across regions. According to the event organizers, the event has brought together over 200 local enterprises from Fujian Province, with nearly 40% of the exhibitors hailing from outside Fuzhou.

Smoked goose from Wuyishan, specialty stuffed eggs from Shunchang, handcrafted tofu from Shaowu, chestnuts from Zhenghe, bamboo shoots from Huoqiao Township, Songxi County, and osmanthus crystal sugar from Pucheng...At the fair, the delegation from Nanping, featuring products from various districts and counties of Nanping as well as state-owned enterprises like Nanping Green Development Group and Wuyi Tourism Group, showcased a range of mountain delicacies, drawing crowds of eager shoppers.

“The smoked goose from Wuyishan and Jian’ou pressed duck have been selling like hotcakes—they’re already out of stock! We’re working on restocking now,” said Xiang Liqi, the on-site representative at the booth of Nanping Rural Revitalization Investment and Operations Co., Ltd. As he enthusiastically introduced local specialties to passing visitors, he added, “Our booth showcases signature products from over 20 local specialty enterprises, all highlighting the authentic flavors of Nanping. We want Fuzhou consumers to experience the unique culture and charm of Nanping through these traditional local products.”

Gathering leading fishery enterprises from multiple coastal regions of the province, the Expo showcases over 50 varieties of high-quality seafood. On the other side, the freshest section of the fair—the Featured Fishery Brand Exhibition Zone of the Northeast Fujian Coordinated Development Zone (Fuzhou Metropolitan Area)—is enticing visitors with its “ocean flavors.”

From the large yellow croaker farmed in Fuzhou’s deep offshore waters to the premium sea cucumbers from Xiapu, Ningde, renowned as the “Hometown of Southern China Sea Cucumbers”, and the highly sought-after abalone from Luoyuan, these products have ignited a wave of enthusiastic buying among visitors.

“This is our first time participating in such a unique New Year Goods Expo, and we hope to further promote Xiapu sea cucumbers, allowing more Fuzhou residents to enjoy our specialty seafood without leaving the city,” said Zhang Liang, the representative of Funinggang Fishery Industry Co., Ltd. from Xiapu. In addition to sea cucumbers, the company has also brought a series of value-added products, such as sea cucumber millet porridge and abalone sauce sea cucumber, all of which have received positive feedback over the past few days.

“I was able to buy local specialties from Nanping, Xiapu, and Pingtan at wholesale prices right at my doorstep. This trip was totally worth it!” said Ms. Chen, who had just purchased two boxes of seafood at an abalone booth. “Tomorrow, I will buy some fruit with my friends.”

A Hub for New Products

First Releases Showcase Economic Vitality

In addition to the wide array of festive New Year goods, the reporter noticed that many companies had brought new products to the fair, unanimously choosing it as the stage for their grand debut.

At the Mintian Group booth, rows of delicately crafted glass bottles were neatly displayed, their contents crystal clear and shimmering. “This is our newly developed ‘Guoniang’ series. It is crafted with red yeast rice wine as the base and infused with flavors like jasmine and coffee. It’s tailored for young consumers and hasn’t officially hit the market yet,” said a company representative. They added that the “Mintian Guoniang” store is set to open in Sanfang Qixiang on the 16th, with these products serving as their “secret weapon.” “Based on these, we’ll also develop a range of milk teas, ice creams, and other related products.”

It’s not just local businesses that are confident about the fair—companies from other regions are equally enthusiastic.

“This year’s abalone harvest is abundant, but prices are modest. To expand our abalone product line, we’ve incorporated Fuzhou’s intangible cultural heritage fish balls to create this new abalone fish ball,” said Wang Bo, the representative of Fujian Pingtan Baoshangpin Trading Co., Ltd. at their booth. “We hope this platform will help more people discover our new product.”

At the Fujian Wuyi Tourism Group booth, on-site representative Luo Wei introduced new products like Shaowu silver ear fungus, fresh sweet corn, and hand-peeled bamboo shoots. “This platform has helped us connect with many potential suppliers, and we look forward to forging more partnerships in the future to develop new products that resonate with consumers,” Luo said.

The Expo will run until January 19, according to official sources. (Fuzhou Daily Reporter: Wu Huazhen)