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It's hard to mistake the dominant presence of Western candies, gum and chocolates over Asian treats on display at the 7-Eleven store in downtown Beijing.

"Sales of Western candies and chocolates are much better," store manager Wang Peng said. "Dove and Nestle are the most popular here."

Most people in China prefer fruit as a dessert. But tastes are changing, so many corner stores in bigger cities such as Beijing and Shanghai now carry chocolate bars.

Now America's leading candy maker, The Hershey Co, is seeking to join its competitors on more shelves in India and China as it tries to expand its global presence.

In China, Hershey sells chocolate syrup and a few of its chocolate products, but barely registers any market share.

To cut its labor costs and secure established distribution routes, Hershey has struck joint ventures with two companies, Godrej Industries Ltd in India, and South Korea's Lotte Confectionery Co, which has a factory in Shanghai.

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