China Resources Enterprise Ltd, a state backed conglomerate, had been studying its options for its Hong Kong meat distribution unit. This included a potential sale of the unit, said a report from Bloomberg News.

Late on Monday, Bloomberg reported while citing two sources familiar with the matter that China Resources might start a strategic review of the Hong Kong meat distribution business as early as this year. The state backed conglomerate did not discuss further details regarding the potential sale of the unit, said a Bloomberg report. China Resources had taken over beef supplier Ng Fung Hong private last 2001 in a deal priced HKD5.1 billion.

State backed conglomerate China Resources did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The beer-to-retail conglomerate China Resources is the second biggest supermarket chain in the country. The Chinese conglomerate is among the bidders for ParknShop, the biggest supermarket chain in Hong Kong.