The maker of White Rabbit candy put the product back on store shelves yesterday as it tries to rebuild the image of the iconic brand after several countries found the sweet tainted with melamine.
Producer Guan Sheng Yuan halted exports and domestic sales last month after Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand found samples contaminated with the industrial chemical.
The company, owned by Shanghai's Bright Foods Group, never admitted that the candy contained melamine, nor did it issue an official public recall that would include refunds for consumers.
Instead, Guan Sheng Yuan resumed production with milk it said was guaranteed free from melamine and put White Rabbit back in Shanghai stores with new packaging bearing a green seal.
Two people dressed as white rabbits danced and waved beneath a banner reading 'The healthy White Rabbit jumps back into the big market', at the relaunch at Shanghai's most famous food store.
As company officials praised the sweet to the 100 onlookers, gifts were offered to those customers buying in bulk, including a stuffed toy rabbit for purchases of more than 50 yuan (HK$56.85).
Guan Sheng Yuan boss Weng Mao said the company would ramp up production for national sales but exports would not resume until at least late in the year.
