NANNING,March28(Xinhua)--Aslunchtimeapproaches,apizzastorenamedCallMePizzainNanning,capitalofsouthChina'sGuangxiZhuangAutonomousRegion,seesasteadystreamofcustomersanddeliverymen.Kneading,sprinklingandbakingareamongtherequiredtasksasstoreownerMauriceandhiswifefindthemselvesbusymakingItalianpizzas.Maurice,fromRome,Italy,hasbeenlivinginChinafornearlyadecade.HewasinvitedtoNanningbyChinesefriendspurelybychance.Later,whenhemethiswifeinNanning,Mauricedecidedtosettledownthere."IstartedmybusinessinChinabyaccident.EverytimeIheldaparty,myfriendslovedmypizzaandencouragedmetostartabusiness.Theirtrustandencouragementenlightenedmetoopenapizzashop,"hesaid.Guangxi,whereMauricelives,hasagoodrelationshipwithItaly.In2017,NanningandItaly'sCremaestablishedsistercityrelations,andthetwosideshavecarriedoutextensivecooperationinvariousfields.RelyingontheplatformoftheChina-ASEANExpo,bilateralexchangesbetweenGuangxiandItalyhavebecomeincreasinglyclose."Iwitnessedtheincreasinglyclosecultural,economicandtradeexchangesbetweenChinaandItalysincemyarrivalinChina,whichlaidafoundationformyconfidenceinstartingabusiness,"saidMaurice.HebelievesChina'slargepopulationandstrongconsumptionvitalitycombinetocreategoodentrepreneurialprospectsforthecateringindustry.Aftereffortsincludingmarketresearch,storeselection,andproductpublicity,MauriceandhiswifeturnedtheirideaintoactionandopenedCallMePizza."Ithinkthenameisinteresting,simpleandeasyforconsumerstoremember,"saidMaurice.However,atthebeginning,theyrentedasmallshopandonlyafewpeoplecametothestoreeachday.Mauricefounditdifficulttomakeendsmeetatthatstage."Thenwefoundawaytointroduceourproductsthroughsocialmedia,"saidMaurice.HeandhiswifechosetoadvertisetheirproductsononlinesocialplatformssuchasXiaohongshu,orLittleRedBook,whichishighlypopularamongyoungpeopleinChina,attractingmanyconsumerstothestore,whilesomeonlineconsumersalsorecommendedthestoretomorepotentialconsumers."Inordertobetterexpandourinfluenceandvisibility,wehavealsoenteredonlinefoodtakeoutplatforms.Now,therearemoreandmorecustomers,bothforeigntouristsandChinesefriends,inourstore.EverytimeIseenewandoldfaces,Ifeelhappy,"saidMaurice.Withtheconsumergroupssteadilybecomingmorediversified,MauriceconstantlyinnovatesstylesandcategoriesonthebasisoftraditionalRoman-stylepizza."ManyChinesecustomerslikedurianorOrleansflavor.Aftermarketresearch,wehaveinnovateddurianpizzaandOrleansPizzaonthebasisofretainingthetradition,andnowourbusinessisbooming,"hesaid."IusedtostudyinItalyandnowIcaneatItalian-stylepizzainNanning.IfeelveryclosetoItalynow.Nowpeoplecantastetheexoticflavorwithoutgoingabroad,"saidLiHan,acustomer."Pizzahasbecomeabond,whichcanenablemetomakealotofChineseandforeignfriends.Throughthepizzastore,moreChinesefriendsknowaboutItalyandIalsolearnmoreaboutChineseculture,"saidMaurice.Mauricebelievesthatfoodcultureisthebestwayforpeopletogettoknowaforeigncountryorplace.Hehopesthestorewillbecomebiggerinthefuture,sohecanintroducemoreItalianculturetoChineseconsumers.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.