In brief
Grace Mbabazi of M&M Sozo Ltd in Kigali aims to enter China’s honey market by participating in the 2026 CIIE. She credits the expo’s free booths and “green channel” arrangements with enabling direct access to buyers and reducing marketing costs. The company plans to expand its beekeeping operations following the event.
Grace Mbabazi, founder and chief executive officer of Kigali‑based M&M Sozo Ltd, announced that her honey‑producing company is preparing to showcase its natural‑processed honey at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai from November 5 to 10, 2026, in a move that could open a new market for Rwandan honey.
Mbabazi has spent the last decade cultivating honey in Rwanda’s Kicukiro District, a region home to an estimated 120,000 beekeepers operating across five major beekeeping zones that include Akagera National Park and Kigali City. She said the company’s long‑term intent is to grow its beekeeping operations and market presence by tapping into the Chinese market as part of a broader strategy to export more African foods to the world.
China’s zero‑tariff policy for 53 African countries, announced in 2022, is a key driver behind Mbabazi’s decision. The policy eliminates import duties for designated African products, allowing companies like M&M Sozo to price their honey competitively in China’s crowded marketplace.
Mbabazi recalled that “our experience at the CIIE showed that the expo can help local businesses build commercial partnerships and introduce products such as honey to Chinese consumers.” She emphasized that the event’s free exhibition booths and the “green channel” arrangements for products exported to China provide concrete supports that reduce marketing and participation costs.
The company plans to introduce its honey at the ninth CIIE, but Mbabazi also reflected on her first participation in the 2024 edition as a valuable stepping stone. She noted that the expo allowed her to “introduce our products to an international audience, raise brand awareness, engage with potential customers, importers, and distributors, and gain a better understanding of the Chinese market.”
In addition to booth space and tariff exemptions, the Chinese government has instituted other preferential measures for exhibitors from Rwanda and other African nations, which Mbabazi believes will allow her to channel more resources into product development, packaging, and overall business promotion.
M&M Sozo’s strategy is part of Rwanda’s larger initiative to position honey as its priority product under the Food and Agriculture Organization’s One Country One Priority Product initiative. The country has participated in every edition of the CIIE since the expo’s launch in 2018, and honey has consistently featured among its export highlights.
By leveraging the CIIE’s platform and China’s supportive import policies, Grace Mbabazi hopes to establish enduring commercial relationships that will support M&M Sozo’s growth and broaden the reach of Rwandan honey to one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
