White Rabbit candy maker to open ecological playground in Shanghai Disney’s backyard

It’s a household name in China, famous for a vast range of edible products from ice cream and biscuits to its iconic White Rabbit sweets.

But now Shanghai-based Bright Food Group, the mainland’s second-largest food conglomerate, is branching out into unfamiliar, and perhaps unexpected, territory: ecotourism.

The food giant has revealed ambitious plans to open a large eco-friendly tourist attraction on Chongming Island, featuring agricultural plantations, hotels and entertainment offerings.

It is part of a broader government drive to transform the sleepy island in northern Shanghai into a world-class ecological resort.

Bright Food hopes the project, scheduled to open in August 2019, will give it a new growth engine as it aims to become a leading global brand.

“Building ecological projects in line with the central government’s directions is now part of Bright Food’s key strategy,” Pan Jianjun, a senior executive with the Shanghai government-owned firm, told the Post. “Hi-tech, high-quality agricultural products and first-class tourism services will characterise the ecological project in Chongming. Visitors from all over the country will be welcome.”