New products with local flavor in the CIIE spotlight

As the second China International Import Expo entered its third day, new products developed or tailored exclusively for Chinese consumers entered into the spotlight.

Swiss luxury watchmaker Ulysee Nardin redesigned one of its most coveted collections, Marine Torpilleur, in celebration of its debut at the expo and the brand's historical connection with China.

Offered in a limited number of 99 items, the chronometer has a toned-down Chinese red color on its leather strap and a Grand Feu (great fire) enamel dial.

An age-old craft believed to have originated in China, dial enameling boasts tricky techniques like firing the glasslike watch base in kilns at a temperature of 800 degree Celsius repeatedly.

Ulysee Nardin was founded in the mid 19th century and acquired by luxury conglomerate Kering Group in 2014. Marine Torpilleur, which is the name of a small and fast ship of an earlier era, is also known as the "captain's watch".

The 136-year-old German company Vorwerk introduced an electronic tea machine at the expo. With six years of research and development, the machine, named the Temial, features a major technical breakthrough as it can adjust factors such as the water temperature and brewing time based on the type of tea used.

Dubbed the first of its kind worldwide, the company, famous for its electronic household products, is targeting the new product at sophisticated middle-income consumers in China, who want something better than pre-packaged milk tea.

The idea is to allow young tea aficionados to have a cup of tea anytime they want, like having a 24-hour veteran tea master on call, as the company puts it.

Mars Inc, who brought chewing gum and chocolates to the Chinese mainland three decades ago, created a rice product for the country and debuted it at the expo.

Like instant noodles, it takes just 90 seconds for the pre-flavored and packed food to be enjoyed, either by having a quick fry in a pan or by cooking it in a microwave oven.

"The inspiration is from all of the food-related posts shared by single young people on social media," said Xu Xida, China market development director of Mars Food.

The rice comes in four flavors-Thai, Chinese, Japanese and Western, and is sold under the Australian condiment brand Masterfoods owned by Mars.