South Korea's The Honest Farmer Co., Ltd. is making its first direct pitch to mainland Chinese buyers this week, showcasing its WELLINUS collagen jelly sticks at the 2026 Shanghai World Food Expo (K-Food World Expo), held November 10–12 at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. The move marks a deliberate push into one of Asia's most competitive functional food markets, backed by an export track record the brand has built since 2023.

The Product Play

WELLINUS collagen jelly sticks are single-serve, fruit-flavored formats designed to remove the fishy taste typically associated with collagen supplements — a barrier that has historically slowed collagen's crossover from pharmacy shelves to mainstream food retail. The two flavors featured in Shanghai, pomegranate and mango, were chosen for their existing consumer familiarity: pomegranate carries strong associations with inner-beauty positioning across Asian markets, while mango appeals broadly to Southeast and East Asian palates. Both SKUs already carry a retail sales history through domestic South Korean home shopping channels, U.S. e-commerce platforms, and Hong Kong specialty stores.

Distribution Ambitions

The Honest Farmer has no footprint on the Chinese mainland yet, making the Shanghai expo its first structured touchpoint with local buyers. The company is drawing on the offline model it has refined in Hong Kong, where WELLINUS products reach consumers through a local master distributor supplying 35 doors — including department store food halls and premium wellness shops. That channel architecture closely mirrors the kind of specialty and experiential retail that is driving functional beverage and snack growth in Asian hospitality settings.

Globally, the brand has entered 16 markets including the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. On Amazon North America alone, more than 50,000 sticks move per month. U.S. distribution spans Amazon, Asian-focused grocers Weee! and Yamibuy, and the brand's own direct-to-consumer store — a multichannel approach increasingly common among emerging K-food exporters targeting diaspora and wellness-curious shoppers.

The Shanghai appearance follows a full international exhibition calendar this year that included Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim and the Korea Pavilion at SIAL Paris — two of the most closely watched global food and beverage trade platforms for identifying emerging export brands. For operators and buyers evaluating functional snack additions to hotel minibars, wellness retail corners, or upscale food hall assortments, the collagen jelly format represents a shelf-stable, single-serve option that sidesteps the cold-chain complexity of many premium wellness products.

The Honest Farmer says China-specific channel decisions will be made after assessing buyer interest from these expo consultations, with follow-up discussions planned to firm up local distribution routes.

Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is The Honest Farmer targeting China now instead of earlier?

The company needed proof of concept first. Since 2023, WELLINUS built sales traction through South Korean home shopping, U.S. e-commerce, and 35 Hong Kong retail doors—that track record gave them credibility to approach mainland buyers. Shanghai Expo 2026 is their first direct structured entry into a $18 billion+ functional snack market where collagen products are already mainstream.

What makes WELLINUS jelly sticks different from competitors' collagen formats?

The brand engineered away the fishy taste that keeps collagen confined to pharmacy shelves. The fruit-forward delivery—pomegranate and mango SKUs—positions this as a snack, not a supplement, which opens distribution into department store food halls and premium wellness retail instead of just drugstores.

How does The Honest Farmer's Hong Kong model translate to mainland China?

In Hong Kong, WELLINUS reaches consumers through one master distributor supplying 35 doors across department store food halls and specialty wellness shops. That same channel architecture works for mainland tier-1 cities where experiential retail and functional food categories are accelerating—particularly in hospitality venues and premium wellness spaces.

Why pomegranate and mango specifically for the China pitch?

Pomegranate carries existing consumer associations with inner-beauty and collagen benefits across Asian markets, reducing education costs. Mango appeals broadly across Southeast and East Asia—it's a proven seller in their existing U.S. and Hong Kong channels, so they're leading with consumer-validated SKUs rather than experimental flavors.

What's The Honest Farmer's realistic timeline for mainland distribution?

Shanghai Expo is a scouting mission, not a launch announcement. Success depends on converting buyer conversations into master distributor relationships—the same model that took 2–3 years to build in Hong Kong. Expect 12–18 months minimum before WELLINUS reaches mainland retail if negotiations close this quarter.