By Patrick Avenell

When it comes to deciding what TVs, tablets and smartphones to range in your store or buy for your home, there are two clear choices: name brands and house brands.

Name brands are typically backed by enormous research and development teams, high levels of quality control and a sense of permanence that comes from decades in the business.

House brands are sourced from factories in China.

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While in China to arrange sourcing recently, one product manager picked up the latest catalogue from China New Century, one of the more popular factories for bespoke electronics sourcing.

In the celebrated histories of the major consumer electronics brands, the first product is often cherished. Panasonic's was a bicycle light, Sharp's was a belt buckle and Sony's was a rice cooker. China New Century's first 'product' was much more fishy…

"Founded in 1997, originally on sea food industry, with 14 years growing, now the group enters 6 industries, including Sea food, impo & expo business, International logistics, Real estate, financial products, Optronics," reads the official company history, transcribed verbatim.