Published on: 2026-08-19
Source: People’s Republic of China — Translation
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Shanghai, August 19 /Xinhua/ — At the production site for baking traditional Russian bread, bakers skillfully pack freshly baked loaves. Nearby, a seller enthusiastically demonstrates a set of matryoshka dolls to customers. Such is the lively atmosphere in the store under the “Made in Russia” brand, located in the Nanshan village of the Jiading district in the suburbs of Shanghai.
A year ago, on August 16, 2025, the first store under the “Made in Russia” brand opened its doors on Sichuan Beilu shopping street in the Hongkou district of Shanghai. In just one year, six standardized stores were opened in the city, successfully promoting the “Made in Russia” brand.
In recent years, the Russian Export Center (REC) has been actively promoting Russian goods in the Chinese market, primarily food products, constantly increasing the brand recognition of “Made in Russia” among Chinese entrepreneurs and consumers.
Thanks to the holding of the China International Import Expo /CIIE/ in Shanghai since 2018, the recognition of Russian food products and agricultural goods has significantly increased.
“After opening, business here is going well,” says the duty baker of the store in the town of Nanxiang. “Bread baked right in the store is especially popular with customers.” This store, opened at the end of April this year, became the sixth branded REC store in Shanghai and the second equipped with a full cycle of traditional Russian bread production.
Thanks to the “on-site baking + retail sales” business model, even in a short time of operation, the store has managed to gain regular customers. “The taste is excellent, the bread is springy, and very authentic in flavor,” shared one of the buyers’ impressions.
The on-duty baker explained that the store uses an ancient Russian sourdough technology, and the staff are trained by Russian specialists, which guarantees the authenticity of the taste. In addition, all baking ingredients are fresh and natural, which suits people committed to healthy eating and therefore attracts many elderly customers.
The store operator notes that Chinese consumers are increasingly preferring products with transparent information about origin and guaranteed quality. That is why the new retail format “freshly baked on site + retail sale” is successful.
At the recent opening of the 4th International Forum “Sprouts: Russia and China — mutually beneficial cooperation,” the Chinese Ambassador to Russia, Zhang Hanhui, noted in his speech that in recent years, trade and economic cooperation between China and Russia has been steadily developing. From January to July 2026, the volume of bilateral trade reached 159.2 billion US dollars, which is 26.3 percent more compared to the same period last year, and by the end of the year there is every chance to set a new historical record.
The General Representative of REC in China, Evgeny Bazhov, believes that Shanghai is one of the key cities for promoting Russian goods in China. For Russian businesses, Shanghai is also important as a platform where several tasks can be addressed simultaneously: finding Chinese partners and distributors, testing product demand, working with large retail chains and e-commerce platforms, and promoting brands among Chinese consumers.
In his opinion, in recent years there has been a noticeable diversification of the structure of Russian exports to China. While energy resources, metals, and certain types of raw materials traditionally formed the basis of supplies before, today there is a steady increase in interest in products with high added value and consumer goods.
If we consider individual categories, Russian food products – confectionery, beverages, dairy products, ice cream, honey, fish and seafood, cereal products – are expanding their presence in the Chinese market. At the same time, interest in cosmetics, household chemicals, health and beauty products, industrial equipment, IT solutions, and other high-tech products is growing.
Judging by the fact that six “Made in Russia” stores have opened in a year, Chinese entrepreneurs also make a significant contribution to the development of the “Made in Russia” network in Shanghai. Most of them have many years of experience doing business in Russia, and now they seek to take bilateral trade and economic cooperation to a new qualitative level — for example, shifting from simple goods trading to comprehensive services trade. -0-
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