THE Port Adelaide Football Club has been instrumental in facilitating the first visit to South Australia of delegates from the China Chamber of International Commerce.

Around 20 business people from 14 businesses will arrive in Adelaide in late October.

As part of their visit, Port Adelaide will host a business forum at its Alberton headquarters and delegates will visit numerous local businesses including honey and wine producers at Hahndorf and McLaren Vale.

Port Adelaide’s General Manager – Strategic Projects, Tara MacLeod said it was an exciting opportunity to showcase the state’s wares.

“We’re a proudly South Australian club and we want to bring more commercial attention and economic activity to South Australia,” she said.

“This visit demonstrates the power of sport.

“Because of Port Adelaide’s deep engagement with China and the profile that that has brought to this state, we have met many Chinese organisations and businesses and through that we have been able to match them with South Australian businesses and organisations.

“CCOIC have never been to South Australia before, they’ve had delegations to New South Wales and Victoria but because of what Port Adelaide is doing and the profile of the game, we are very pleased to be able to bring CCOIC as an organisation and its delegates to South Australia to create more business pathways.”

Tara MacLeod, Minister David Ridgway with Ed and Emma Vercoe from Oleapak 

Ed Vercoe is the director of McLaren Vale based olive oil sales and packaging business Oleapak which will be visited by delegates.

Oleapak is starting to reap the benefits of Port Adelaide’s China strategy and the networking opportunities it is providing for businesses both in Australia and China.

The business started in 2004 purely providing packaging and storing olive oil, and since 2014 it has been exporting product into China.

“As their palate is westernising they are starting to enjoy the western styles of food and the health benefits of olive oil,” Mr Vercoe said.

“While we had already established some networks in China before we engaged with Port Adelaide, we are now meeting new people and opening new doors as a result.

“It is never wise in business to rest on your laurels and if you’re not always striving for more markets and something better then there will always be someone behind you that will step over you and take those opportunities.

“Having new emerging markets like China and people who are willing to invest or partner in the business is amazing and this visit will help not just us but other local businesses in that space.”

The Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, David Ridgway was excited with the potential investment in South Australia and in local businesses.

He praised Port Adelaide for making the visit happen.

“It’s a new way of engaging in an international market using sports diplomacy and I think Port Adelaide leads the way in it,” he said.

“This state is open for investment, we want to grow our exports and grow our local jobs so any inbound investment in South Australia, whether it’s investing here or markets for our products back in China is always good news for South Australia.”

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