Chinese importer Lantao has recently received its first air shipment of hothouse cucumbers known by the brand name "Cutecumbers", produced by Canadian grower Mucci Farms. 

The Shanghai-based company said this was the first shipment of cucumbers into China from Canada, and the Chinese consumers reacted 'with great enthusiasm' to the new offering.

"People are reacting like crazy to this new product", Lantao CEO John Wang said.

"People love them because they are seedless with no wax, very crunchy and sweet. They are a perfect size for snacking, and with convenient packaging, we have a winner of a product and a great opportunity."

Cucumbers are an important vegetable in China and are grown widely throughout the country, especially in North China, where it is one of the main summer vegetables. China is the biggest cucumber producing country in the world.

"China has been mostly thought of as an importer of premium fruit like cherries and grapes", said Jim Provost of Lantao and I Love Produce.

"But I have contended for years that someday we will ship garlic to China, and now we are seeing cucumbers gaining acceptance, an even bigger crop in China than garlic."

Lantao is the exclusive importer and distributor of Ontario-based Mucci Farms' Cutecumber and will be promoting the product in Shanghai and other markets through their seven distribution locations nationwide including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Zhangzhou, Shenyang, Harbin and Qingdao.

Photo: Lantao

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