The 89th China Food and Drinks Fair, which kicked off at Wuhan International Expo Center on Oct 8, boasts an international exposition area that is 31.5 percent larger than that of last year's event.

The fair's organizers said that China's sales of imported conventional food reached 63 billion yuan ($10.3 billion) last year, indicating a giant market with rising consumption potential.

The country is now the world's most attractive market for imported food. Bill Kardamitsis, market purchasing manager of an Australian imported food company, said that the trend of global brands, such as Starbucks and KFC, expanding in China is proof of the increasing demand of imported food in the Chinese market.

He also said that the focus of his company in China will include spices and canned food.

Nobody is yet sure which of the many kinds of imported foods appearing on the Chinese market will actually suit the tastes of the Chinese people.

The industry is aware that price is an important factor and some products may only please a minority, so they may no longer be available at supermarkets but could perhaps be purchased at smaller shops.

Tang Shujun, general manager of Wuhan Jinruiqi Trading Co Ltd, said that importers of products entering the Chinese market for the first time face both opportunities and challenges, as the market has already developed over the last decade and more market participants means that gross profit of imported food in China is becoming smaller.

Hong Yingcai, general manager of Chongqing Taixin Trading Co Ltd, echoed this view, saying that as the number of imported foods is set to increase, this will mark the end of high profit margins and usher in more transparent prices of imported food.

Edited by Niva Whyman and Le Qin