Hain Celestial Expands Presence In China With Organic Infant Formula

U.S. natural and organic products supplier Hain Celestial Group continues to expand its business beyond North America and Europe with the introduction of a co-branded organic infant formula in China through its Hutchison Hain Organic joint venture. Produced in Switzerland, Earth's Best (U.S. and Canada) and Zhi Ling Tong (Chi-Med, China) have received organic certification from the China Organic Food Certification Centre. Hutchison Hain Organic began marketing and distributing selected Hain Celestial products earlier this year through A.S. Watson and PARKnSHOP stores in Asia. Chinese pharmaceutical holding company Chi-Med estimates that sales of infant formula in 2009 in China were about $3.4 billion. By the beginning of 2010, Zhi Ling Tong was being sold through 13 sales offices across China covering more than 130 cities.