影響世界口味的“重慶味道”

□ 文/本刊記者 唐綱

今年8月，由國家互聯網信息辦公室、文化部指導，中國國際廣播電臺國際在線主辦的“2014中國城市榜——全球網民推薦的最中國美食城市”揭曉，重慶成為全球網友心目中的十座“最中國美食城市”之一。依托于獨特的“重慶味道”而形成的重慶調料產業正在影響整個世界的口味。

美麗的巴渝大地四季多雨、潮濕，這樣的自然條件養成了巴渝人民喜好麻辣的飲食習慣。不管是火鍋、回鍋肉，還是水煮魚、麻婆豆腐、擔擔面，關鍵就是吃佐料。好的調料是美食的基礎和靈魂。

重慶調料經過多年的“大浪淘沙”，逐步涌現出了一批能代表“重慶味道”的精品調料品牌，不管是紅九九火鍋底料、秋霞火鍋底料，以及周君記麻辣魚調料、胖子魚調料、南吉醬油、自家鹵鹵料等都是能夠代表“重慶味道”的佼佼者。

中國調料看重慶。重慶，已成為名副其實的“中國調料之都”。最地道的麻辣鮮香也是最地道的重慶味道，它成就了重慶調料享譽天下。

現在，重慶調料行業也開始了打造重慶城市名片的進程，不僅要為重慶人的餐桌增添美味，還要讓全國乃至全世界的人足不出戶就可以享用地道的“重慶味道”。當您愛上這些重慶味道的時候，也是對重慶調料行業的支持。

魅力獨特的“重慶味道”

由于重慶火鍋的發展帶動了我市調料行業的迅速發展，重慶已成為我國最大的調料基地。據稱，現在全國各地的超市里都可以看到重慶調料的蹤影，這個先天優勢給重慶成為全國最大的調料基地創造了條件。

現在，各個調料企業爭相建基地。我市火鍋業向外擴張的步伐很是迅猛，全國的加盟店越來越多。為了迅速、快捷地給加盟商配送火鍋底料，從2005年起，我市餐飲企業紛紛開始興建底料加工基地。最早的帶頭者是小天鵝，他們在石柱縣投資2500萬建立了一個火鍋底料基地。隨后，各大調料企業紛紛開始建立基地。

由于有現成的加工線，各企業生產的底料也有特色，他們開始嘗試制造調料，這些調料可廣泛用于其他家常菜，例如水煮魚、泉水雞等，并逐漸發展壯大起來。

目前，我市已經有近30余家火鍋企業建立了各種調料生產基地。此外，為滿足基地的原材料供應，還延伸了產業鏈。以前調料行業需要的花椒、海椒、大蒜等都是來自外地，目前我市江津、石柱等地都已建有花椒、辣椒、大蒜等原材料種植基地。

毫不夸張地說，現在隨便到哪個城市的超市里，貨架上的調味品中，重慶產的至少占了三分之一。

“重慶味道”影響世界

2012年9月，第三屆中國餐飲博覽會在澳門舉行，參展企業超過1000家，分別來自20余個國家和地區。重慶德莊、鄉村基、周君記和阿興記組團參展，成為一大亮點。來自世界各地的美食愛好者十分過癮地體會了一把麻辣鮮香的重慶味道，頓時為重慶美味傾倒。

“重慶味道”正在影響世界人的口味。外國人吃著麻辣鮮香的重慶美食，可口至極。他們在國外吃著用重慶調料調和的飯菜，美味無窮，久久流連。

創始于1992年的重慶紅九九不僅獲得了“中國馳名商標”，產品暢銷全國，而且走向了海外市場，在國外享有極高的信譽。

重慶知名調料品牌周君記以重慶火鍋底料系列、麻辣香水魚底料系列、拌菜香佐料系列、藥膳滋補燉湯料系列、速溶增味營養火鍋底料系列、川味菜及川味面調料等復合調料為主。公司曾專門去香港舉辦佐料推廣會，并走訪了很多香港的餐飲企業。目前，香港有很多川菜餐廳每年幾十萬元的調料訂單都鎖定了周君記。“周君記”產品目前已銷往美國、法國、新加坡、加拿大、澳大利亞和東南亞地區等。

“我現在60多歲，美國肯德基的創始人桑德斯大叔打了一輩子小工，69歲才開始創業，然而，卻改變了不少人的飲食習慣，將油炸雞塊開遍了全世界。”周君記董事長周英明非常自信地說，他有信心要洋人也像重慶人一樣喜歡吃火鍋，引導外國人的消費習慣，學習桑德斯大叔，做中國的肯德基，把周君記調料品賣到全世界。

“重慶味道”還須主動融入國際平臺

要打造中國調料之都的全球影響力，重慶調料品牌還必須主動融入重要的國際性平臺，增強品牌的國際性機會。

近年來，重慶對外開放程度越來越高，僅在重慶舉辦的大型國際性會議也越來越多，重慶更加具有全球影響力，重慶調料作為重慶特色，在家門口獲取的國際性機會也越來越多。比如，去年6月份在重慶召開的中國—中東歐國家地方領導人會議就是一次大型的國際性會議，參會嘉賓達1000余人，其中外賓500余人，包括兩個國家的總理。再比如，今年2月份在重慶舉辦的中俄兩河流域會議（中國長江與俄羅斯伏爾加河流域），中國方面包括重慶、四川、湖南等6省市以及國家部委辦局領導，伏爾加河流域有16個州（共和國）參加。在這些國際性會議上，筆者看見有成都的服裝展出、武漢有一個特產展出并現場銷售，而重慶產品并沒有被納入。

記者在考慮，之所以重慶調料品牌雖然遠銷國內外，但卻鮮有在家門的國際性會議上亮相。主要是主辦單位根本就沒有考慮這個，可能在他們心目中，重慶調料的分量還難以上到這樣高層面的國際會議上，這就需要我們所有的調料品牌共同謀劃，如何增強重慶調料品牌的核心魅力和感召力，能讓主辦單位自覺地考慮到把重慶調料品牌納入會議內容。

另外，外國政府在重慶設立的使領館已達10家，重慶已成為繼北京、上海之后的中國領館第三城，實際上這也是重慶調料品牌走向國際市場的捷徑。每年還可組織使領館人員參訪重慶調料品牌，讓他們充當推介重慶調料之都的中間人。

重慶市政府外僑辦去年專門評選了重慶外事禮品，重慶調料品牌作為重慶最獨特的地方特色產品，完全可以作為重慶外事禮品贈送外賓。

“2014 City Billboard: The Most Recommended Chinese Gastronomic Cities by Global Netizens”, instructed by the State Internet Information Office and the Ministry of Culture and hosted by CRI international online, was released this August. Chongqing was among the top 10 “Most Recommended Chinese Gastronomic Cities” in the mind of global netizens. Its seasoning industry, which is characterized by the unique “Chongqing f l avor”, is inf l uencing the world’s palate.

The beautiful Chongqing is always rainy and humid throughout all seasons. Under such environment, local people cultivate a Mala(spicy and numbing)diet. For hotpot, twice cooked pork, f i sh f i llets in hot chili oil, Mapo bean-curd or Dandan noodle, the seasoning is the critical element. Good seasoning is the foundation and the soul of great delicacy.

After years of ref i nement in Chongqing’s seasoning industry, many quality brands representing “Chongqing flavor” stand out from the competition, such as Hongjiujiu hotpot condiment, Qiuxia hotpot condiment, Zhoujunji spicy fish seasoning, Pangzi fish seasoning, Nanji soybean sauce and Zijialu marinating sauce are typical examples.

As a pacesetter of Chinese seasoning industry, Chongqing has literally become the “capital of Chinese seasoning”. The spicy and fresh taste is the most authentic Chongqing flavor and it makes the city’s seasonings famous across the world.

Now, Chongqing’s seasoning industry is being forged as one of the city’s signatures. The seasonings will not only bring aroma to Chongqing people but also allow the people all over the world to enjoy “Chongqing flavor” at home. Upon falling in love with Chongqing flavor, one also develops an attachment toward the seasoning industry.

The Unique “Chongqing Flavor”

Powered by the fast development of Chongqing hotpot, the seasoning industry in Chongqing grows rapidly and the city has become the largest seasoning base in China. It is said that the Chongqing seasoning products are available in all supermarkets across China. Such deep penetration lays the foundation for this city to become the largest seasoning base in China.

Currently, seasoning producers are building an increasing number of processing bases. Chongqing’s hotpot industry quickly expands their business into other cities by setting up more and more franchised restaurants. In order to deliver the hotpot condiment to the restaurants in a fast and convenient way, producers started to set up condiment processing bases since 2005. The earliest starter was the Little Swan, which invested RMB 25 million to build a hotpot condiment processing base in Shizhu County. After that, other producers began to follow suit.

With the existing processing lines and the distinctive recipes, producers started manufacturing seasonings which can be extensively used in other home cuisines, such as f i sh f i llets in hot chili oil and spring-water chicken and eventually scaled up.

Now, around 30 Chongqing hotpot producers have established processing bases of various seasonings. In addition, the industrial chain has been extended to supply raw materials. Previously, brown pepper, chili pepper and garlic were sourced from other cities. Now, planting bases for such raw materials have been built in counties like Jiangjin and Shizhu.

It is no exaggeration to say that in every supermarket of every city, one can f i nd that Chongqing seasoning products taking up at least one third of its kind on the shelf.

“Chongqing Flavor” Inf l uences the World

In September, 2012, the 3rd China Catering Expo was held in Macao. Over 1000 enterprises from more than 20 countries and regions participated in the Expo. Chongqing Dezhuang, CSC, Zhoujunji and Axingji formed a cluster and became the highlight in the Expo. Feasting on Chongqing’s Mala f l avor, food lovers from all parts of the world were glamorized by its delicacy.

“Chongqing flavor” is now influencing the palate of people across the globe. Even foreigners find the spicy and delicious local delicacy palatable. Cuisines f l avored Chongqing seasonings can always give them a lingering taste in their home countries.

Founded in 1992, Chongqing Hongjiujiu has been awarded with “China Famous Brand”. Its products are not only well sold in China but also available on the overseas markets with high credibility.

Chongqing’s famous seasoning brand Zhoujunji produces mainly hotpot condiment series, spicy fish condiment series, salad sauce series, medicine soup series, instant nutritious hotpot condiment series and Sichuan cuisine and Sichuan-styled noodle seasonings. Zhoujunji had specif i cally held a seasoning promotion session in Hong Kong and visited many local catering enterprises. At present, many Sichuan-styled restaurants in Hong Kong place seasoning orders worth of hundreds of thousands yuan with Zhoujunji every year. Zhoujunji products are marketed to the US, France, Singapore, Canada, Australia, Southeast Asia, etc.

Zhou Yingming, president of Zhoujunji, said, “I am also in my sixties, just like Uncle Sanders, founder of KFC who worked as a busboy all the time and started his business at the age of 69. His fried chicken, however, is now available all over the world and has changed many people’s diet habits.” He has confidence in spreading the popularity of hotpot and even changing foreigners’ consumption habits. By learning from Uncle Sanders to create the Chinese KFC, he strives to sell Zhoujinji’s seasonings across the world.

“Chongqing Flavor” Needs to Merge into International Platform

To bring global influence to China’s seasoning capital, Chongqing’s seasoning brands need to merge into important international platforms proactively so as to increase international opportunities.

In the recent years, thanks to further opening-up in Chongqing, more and more international meetings are held here and the city becomes increasingly influential in the world. Chongqing seasonings, as the local specialty, are gaining more and more international opportunities. For instance, China-CEEC Local Leaders Meeting last June, was one of such large international meetings. There were over 1000 attendants including more than 500 foreign guests and prime ministers of two countries. Besides, China-Russia Two River Meeting(Yangtze River of China and Volga River Reaches of Russia)was held in Chongqing this February. Chinese leaders of six provinces and municipalities including Chongqing, Sichuan and Hunan and 16 states(republics)alongside the Volga River attended the meeting. At these international meetings, the author noticed that some Chengdu garments and Wuhan specialties were displayed and sold. But there were no Chongqing products.

Due to lack of planning of the organizers, Chongqing’s seasoning brands are seldom exhibited in local international conferences despite worldwide sales. Perhaps they believe such seasonings are not yet qualif i ed for appearing at such high-level international occasions. To change this mindset, our seasoning brands should make concerted effort to enhance glamour and appeal so that the organizers will voluntarily include them into the meeting agenda.

In addition, 10 countries have set up consulates in Chongqing, making it the third largest consular city after Beijing and Shanghai. In fact, this can facilitate local seasoning brands to go global. Every year, consular staff can be organized to visit local seasoning producers and collect their testimony for Chongqing as the capital of seasonings.

Last year Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office of Chongqing municipal government had a vote for foreign affair gifts. Chongqing seasonings, as the most distinctive local specialty, can be also used for such purpose. .