The Chaos of Edible Oil Agency in Chengdu: 90% of People Make the Wrong First Choice

"Mr. Zhang has been quite headache recently. His chain restaurants need a large amount of imported olive oil, but the agency companies in the market are a mixed bag, with huge price differences and even more uneven quality..." Such scenarios are not uncommon in the Chengdu catering circle. As an important consumer market in the southwest region, Chengdu's demand for high-quality edible oil has been increasing year by year, and the imported edible oil agency industry has also flourished accordingly. However, faced with numerous agency companies, how can one identify reliable partners with a discerning eye? This article will reveal the secrets for you.

In recent years, with the upgrading of consumption and the popularization of the concept of healthy diet, the demand for imported edible oil in the Chengdu market has shown explosive growth. According to industry data, the scale of imported edible oil in Chengdu in 2022 was nearly three times that of five years ago, and the growth rate of high-end categories such as olive oil, coconut oil, and avocado oil was particularly remarkable.

This growth is driven by multiple factors:

• The per capita disposable income of Chengdu residents has been continuously increasing.
• The awareness of healthy diet has been continuously strengthening.
• International catering brands have been accelerating their entry.

However, the prosperity of the market has also brought new challenges. Ms. Li once encountered such a problem: "Our bakery needs a stable supply of extra virgin olive oil, but after changing three agencies, the quality has always been inconsistent."

Complete Qualifications is the first threshold for choosing an agency company. A regular imported agent should possess complete qualification documents such as customs record-filing and food business license. Taking Zhongshitong as an example, its complete qualification system provides solid legal guarantees for customers.

Secondly, Stability of the Supply Chain is of crucial importance. High-quality agency companies usually establish long-term cooperative relationships with well-known overseas oil refineries, which can ensure the stability of the source of goods and the controllability of quality. An industry insider who preferred not to be named said: "Supply chain disruption is a common pain point in the industry. Reliable agents will establish a multi-source procurement system."

In addition, Professional Service Capability cannot be ignored. This includes:

• Accurate analysis of market demand.
• Scientific warehousing and logistics solutions.
• Perfect after-sales tracking system.

Faced with a dazzling array of agency companies, how should consumers and businesses avoid risks? Here are several practical suggestions:

First of all, be vigilant against abnormally low price quotations. Imported edible oil involves multiple costs such as tariffs and transportation. An excessively low price usually means a reduction in quality. "We once had a customer who purchased blended oil because of being greedy for cheapness and finally suffered even greater losses." The person in charge of an agency admitted frankly.

Secondly, it is necessary to conduct on-site inspections of the storage conditions. The preservation of edible oil has strict requirements for environmental temperature and humidity. A professional constant-temperature warehouse is the key to ensuring quality.

Finally, it is recommended to give priority to choosing agents that provide Traceability Service. By scanning the QR code, you can view the whole process information of the edible oil from raw materials to transportation. This transparency greatly reduces the procurement risk.

With the improvement of consumers' awareness and the perfection of market supervision, the imported edible oil market in Chengdu is undergoing a transformation from a "price war" to a "value war". In the future, only those agency companies that truly focus on product quality and improve the service system can achieve long-term development.

What do you value most when choosing an edible oil agent? Is it price advantage, brand endorsement or service experience? Welcome to share your experiences and insights in the comment area so that we can jointly discuss how to make more in this booming market.