Ontario exports of the province's wine into China are significantly expanding with two important agreements that will bring millions in investment to the province's wineries.
As part of the 2015 Agri-Food Trade Mission to China, Ministers Jeff Leal and Michael Chan participated in ceremonies involving two major Ontario wineries and their international partners:
>> Ontario's Pillitteri Estates Winery and China-based Hare Wine Company have signed a $6 million agreement that will bring more Ontario Icewine to China and help meet the growing demand for this signature Ontario product. The investment from Hare Wine Company will establish a new vineyard and build a new winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
>> Ontario's Vineland Estates Winery will now sell its wines at a retail outlet in Tai'an, a city in China's Shandong province. The retail outlet is operated by Vineland's long-term Chinese partner, L'Huillier Wine Company. This will provide Chinese consumers in Tai'an the opportunity to purchase Vineland Estate's award-winning VQA wines.
The Agri-Food Trade Mission to China is helping to fulfill the Premier's Agri-Food Growth Challenge, which calls on the sector to double its rate of growth and create 120,000 new jobs by 2020.
Helping Ontario's agri-food businesses compete globally is part of the government's economic plan for Ontario. The four-part plan is building Ontario up by investing in people's talents and skills, building new public infrastructure like roads and transit, creating a dynamic, supportive environment where business thrives and building a secure savings plan so everyone can afford to retire.
Source : ontario.ca