TARGETING the Chinese market for Australian olive oil might not be all about tastebuds.
It seems the health and beauty industry is a potential avenue for olive oil in the world's most populace nation, something growers and oil producers could pounce on.
Vice president of the Australian Olive Association and Western Australian Olive Council director Chris Mercer gave an update at last month's National Olive Industry Conference on The Olive Route, a program designed to establish a premium price for qualifying Australian oils in the China market.
Mr Mercer founded The Olive Route and said food safety is top of mind for Chinese consumers.
"The overall guiding principal of these middle classes who have money, who have information, who have education- they want safe food," he said.
"And there is enormous appetite for imported whole foods. It's an obsession really because there have been so many food scandals in China that families are very, very wary of food."
But that's not the only growing obsession in China.
Mr Mercer relayed survey results which inquired about residents' olive oil use.
"The face-to-face survey was 73pc female, but even so, 49pc of them use olive oil for beauty- for skin care, make-up remover and hair care, and removal of pregnancy stretch marks," he said.
"I was astounded by that and I drilled into it a bit to find out what these people said and so forth, and even the guys are using olive oil in their hair and stuff like that.
"So it's not just the women, it's the guys as well."
AOA president Paul Miller said in his address to the conference the focus on quality would be essential in tapping into overseas markets.
"In my view, promotion and building on that quality into whatever market we see, be it China, be it Australia, be it the USA, is important," Mr Miller said.
He also hinted at America being a growth area although it may be hard-fought.
"It could be a really good market for us but it will certainly be the battleground where the fight for quality is lost or won and I'm optimistic about that," he said.