ShenzhenMay 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On April 25, 2026, the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center (Bao’an New Venue) buzzed with excitement as a highly anticipated industry event was grandly held. As the premier gift and homeware exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region, this event brought together 4,500 high-quality enterprises from around the globe, attracting 260,000 professional buyers to collectively focus on innovative trends in the cross-border integration of food, gifts, and IP, exploring new pathways for industry development.
On the same day, the “Cross-Border ‘Food’ Lab: Food + Gift + IP Integration Innovation Forum,” hosted by Reed Huabo Exhibitions (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. and co-organized by Hangzhou Dingshi Technology Co., Ltd., Safe Food News, and Food Exhibition Network, kicked off as a core forum of the 2026 Shenzhen Gift Fair. The forum had an attendance of 150 people, with strategic support from capital institutions such as Dingshi Capital and over 20 authoritative media outlets, providing a solid foundation for the forum’s successful execution.
Consumption Upgrade Drives Change, ‘Food + IP’ Becomes New Engine for Industry Growth
Currently, China’s gift and homeware industry is undergoing profound structural transformations. Exhibition data clearly shows that food-based gifts account for a 28% share of the corporate gifting market, expanding at an annual rate of 15%, making them the second-largest popular category after digital products. Meanwhile, the IP licensing market has surpassed the 120 billion yuan mark, with the food industry accounting for 35% of this figure, fully demonstrating the immense commercial potential of the ‘Food + IP’ cross-border integration.
Against this backdrop, the forum, with ‘cross-border’ as its core theme and ‘innovation’ as a powerful tool, aims to provide enterprises in the industry with new ideas for breaking through challenges, helping them seize opportunities and achieve rapid growth in the billion-yuan market.
Industry Elites Gather to Discuss Integration and Innovation
Guests present at the “Cross-Border ‘Food’ Lab: Food + Gift + IP Integration Innovation Forum” included Zhu Hai, Guangzhou Regional General Manager of Fengqing Chengsheng Black Tea Co., Ltd.; Guan Liang, General Manager of Wanda Animation Brand Licensing; Tian Jianxin, R&D Director of Guangdong Guanzhan Nutrition and Health Technology Co., Ltd.; Yu Yang, South China Director of Shanghai Senfengyuan Bee Industry Co., Ltd.; and Chen Yibi, Editor-in-Chief of Safe Food News and Food Exhibition Network.
During the keynote sharing session, several seasoned industry professionals delivered insightful speeches, offering cutting-edge industry perspectives and valuable practical experience to attendees.
Zhu Hai, Guangzhou Regional General Manager of Fengqing Chengsheng Black Tea, shared insights on the theme ‘Quality as the Foundation, Gifts that Delight Hearts: The Integration of Food and Gifts with Highland Big Tree Black Tea.’ Using ‘Highland Big Tree Black Tea’ as an example, he delved into the clever integration of intangible cultural heritage tea-making techniques with modern gift aesthetics. Zhu emphasized: ‘Culture is the soul for traditional food to break through in the gift sector, while quality serves as the solid foundation—both are indispensable and complement each other.’
Guan Liang, General Manager of Wanda Animation Brand Licensing, delivered a speech titled ‘IP Empowering Brand Premium and Business Growth in Food Gifts.’ He detailed the core logic of IP collaborations, noting that when selecting IPs, it is essential to balance the three key elements of youthfulness, social connectivity, and value. Through ecosystem co-creation, brands can achieve deep connections with consumers, thereby driving higher brand premiums and stronger business growth.
Tian Jianxin, R&D Director of Guangdong Guanzhan Nutrition and Health Technology, presented on the theme ‘Scientific Evidence-Based Chinese Tonics and Cross-Border Innovative Products.’ Using ‘fish maw’ as a starting point, he demonstrated how scientific research can break down category boundaries, pushing tonics from the traditional ‘kitchen’ to refined ‘gift boxes,’ achieving a triple drive of ‘scientific strength + product strength + IP strength,’ opening new pathways for the development of Chinese tonics.
Yu Yang, South China Director of Shanghai Senfengyuan Bee Industry, delivered a speech titled ‘The Contemporary Aesthetics of Changbai Mountain Linden Honey: How an Old Brand Reconstructs the Food Gift IP Ecosystem with a Bottle of “Liquid Gold.”‘ He narrated how Changbai Mountain linden honey reshaped its image as a ‘new national trend gift’ through product innovation and ecosystem building, affirming the industry consensus that ‘tradition does not mean outdated, and classics can be popular,’ offering new ideas and references for the development of time-honored brands.
Tian Jianxin, R&D Director of Guangdong Guanzhan Nutrition and Health Technology Co., Ltd.; Zhu Hai, Guangzhou Regional General Manager of Fengqing Chengsheng Black Tea Co., Ltd.; Yu Yang, South China Director of Shanghai Senfengyuan Bee Industry Co., Ltd.; Qiu Jiahui (Host) from Reed Huabo Exhibitions (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd.; Chen Yibi, Editor-in-Chief of Safe Food News and Food Exhibition Network (from left to right)
2026 Shenzhen Gift Fair: An Industry Event of Innovation, Cross-Border Collaboration, and Win-Win Outcomes
As the largest gift and homeware exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region, the 2026 Shenzhen Gift Fair boasts an exhibition area exceeding 260,000 square meters, showcasing its grand scale and impressive presence. The fair brings together 4,500 high-quality enterprises from around the world, covering all categories including food, digital products, homeware, and cultural creativity, providing a premium platform for enterprises to fully display their strengths and products. The attraction of 260,000 professional buyers further enriches the resources for business exchanges and cooperation at the fair.
With the core philosophy of ‘Innovation, Cross-Border Collaboration, and Win-Win Outcomes,’ the fair is committed to becoming the premier platform for industry trend releases, resource matching, and business cooperation. Through various forums, activities, and rich displays, it promotes exchanges and collaboration across different industries, driving innovative development in the gift and homeware sector and achieving win-win outcomes within the industry.
The successful hosting of the ‘Cross-Border “Food” Lab: Food + Gift + IP Integration Innovation Forum’ not only provided a platform for exchange and cooperation among enterprises in the industry but also charted a direction for the cross-border integration of food, gifts, and IP. It is believed that with the joint efforts of all parties, this field will usher in even broader development prospects in the future.