The 24th Hong Kong Food Expo, together with Hong Kong International Tea Fair and the International Conference & Exhibition of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM), open concurrently on 15 August 2013. More than 1,520 exhibitors from around the world was showcasing a wide range of food, tea and traditional Chinese medicine products at three Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) fairs.
The three fairs taking place at the same time, there was abundant opportunities for crossover business activities among the various participants. As well as showcasing new products and services, leading experts and celebrities share their ideas at various cooking demonstrations, industry forums and seminars during the fairs.
The HKTDC has organised 130 buying missions from 26 countries and regions to visit the three fairs, increasing trade opportunities for exhibitors. A dozen buyer booths have been prepared for selected large purchasers such as 759 Store, Citysuper, Ng Fung Hong, Sogo Hong Kong Company and Yata. Related pre-arranged business matching sessions allow efficient connections between exhibitors and quality buyers.
Hong Kong Food Expo 2014
The 24th edition of the Food Expo welcome new participants from Guam and Saudi Arabia. There was 14 pavilions, with the Chinese mainland’s Qinghai and Xinjiang provinces, Greece, Guam and Poland joining for the first time. Food Expo has been playing a pivotal role in the food trade and increasing exhibitors’ exposure.
Food Expo is the annual signature event in Hong Kong, a feast for foodies, by featuring a wide range of international and local delicacies, providing an ideal trading platform for exhibitors to showcase their latest products to international buyers, as well as featuring a wide variety of products for public visitors to choose from.
Hong Kong is a convenient and ideal place to trade and do business while the expo is effective in drawing buyers every year. The Food Expo attracted a large number of visitors, including distributors, chefs and consumers all in one place to explore opportunities.
The Food Expo spotlight Hong Kong’s reputation as a business hub and lifestyle trendsetter in Asia. By bringing high-quality products and lifestyle solutions to consumers and trade buyers, each striving to help consumers enjoy a better and healthier lifestyle.
The annual Food Expo is a grand feast for food lovers, Food Expo is hugely popular with the general public and has proved highly rewarding for trade buyers.
The fair provide a platform for sourcing and networking, creating business opportunities among different sectors. In addition to bringing an international gourmet feast to visitors, to enhance the cultural exchange between Hong Kong and other regions as well.
Exhibitors received a lot of sincere inquiries, purchases and cooperation agency intentions. The Expo provides a good stage to showcase products and raise the profile of regional local flavours, fine food and snacks.
The Gourmet Zone proves to be popular among high-end food suppliers, helping them reach out to a larger market and cater to the growing demand for top-quality food. A fair highlight is the Gourmet Zone, open to both trade and public visitors. It feature more than 70 exhibitors under four themes – Western Delicacy, Asian Cuisine, Chic & More, and Sweet Delight – with such offerings as caviar, Wagyu beef, foie gras, fine wine, premium coffee and deluxe ice-cream.
Visitors can find a rich selection of food offerings in the Public Hall, open daily during the expo. The Premium Food Zone in Hall 1 will showcase major brands such as Chewy, Kee Wah, Lee Kum Kee, Nissin, Sau Tao, Tao Ti Tea Series and Tung Chun, aiming to promote brand awareness of exhibitors.
Event highlights include the presentation of a new Wan Chai food map and a competition to produce the best yuan yang, a local drink made by blending Hong Kong-style milk tea with coffee.
There was also be a parent-child cooking contest, an award presentation for the most popular food merchant among Internet users, seminars on healthy eating and wise food choices, cooking demonstrations and lucky draws.
Consumers also want to check out the Night Bazaar in Hall 3E, 15-18 August, where selected products was offered at discounts each evening, with night tickets available for the special price of HK$10.
The zone also spotlight cooking demonstrations by noted chefs and gourmets, as well as seminars on coffee and food nutrition.
Hong Kong Tea Fair 2013
The 5th Hong Kong International Tea Fair attract tea producers and manufacturers from all different regions, including exhibitors from traditional tea production markets such as the Chinese mainland, India and Sri Lanka, include first-time participants from the United Arab Emirates.
In addition to a variety of tea products, Tea Fair also dedicates to tea culture nurture of the public. Friends of Tea Display zone was promote tea-food pairing, and immerse tea into our daily dining experience.
Other zones include Tea Ware, Tea Packaging, Tea Craft and Tea processing equipment and testing service. Alongside tea, the fair will showcase related products in dedicated zones – the Tea Craft zone spotlighting relevant books, decorative art and crafts; Friends of Tea offering bakery products and confectionery items; and Tea Ware.
To foster Hong Kong’s position as a premier tea trading hub, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council organises the “Hong Kong International Tea Competition 2013” which promotes standardization in tea product quality. Entries compete under six categories: Black Tea (C.T.C), Black Tea (Orthodox), Pu’er Tea, Aged Tea, Green Tea and Oolong Tea. A panel of judges, including internationally renowned tea experts, grade the teas through blind-tasting and select winners for awards, including the new Outstanding Tea Packaging Award.
Another highlight includes the International KamCha Competition (Hong Kong-style milk tea). The Hong Kong Final Competition take place on 16 August. The Champion compete for the industry eminent titles with other regional champions including Australia, Canada and the Chinese mainland on 17 August.
On 17 August, celebrities, noted chef from the Michelin-starred restaurant IFC Cuisine Cuisine and Chinese medicine therapists will share their tea experience and knowledge during the forums.
Other activities include two seminars on tea branding and tea tourism, tea-tasting sessions, activities and performances showcasing tea art and culture, and a showcase area showing historical tea ware and Zen related publications.
ICMCM 2013
Jointly organised by the HKTDC and the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association, the ICMCM is dedicated to trade on the first two days, opening to public visitors as well on 17 August.
Fair highlights include a two-day ICMCM conference under the theme “The Advanced Research and Development of Chinese Medicine on Cancer Treatment”. Key speakers are Cheng Yung-chi, Henry Bronson Professor of Pharmacology at the Yale University School of Medicine of the United States, and Li Da-ning, Vice Commissioner of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of the Chinese mainland.
A public forum on Chinese medicine and health on 17 August, with practitioners offering health tips and advice on countering the summer heat. The ICMCM also features an educational display illustrating the benefits of Chinese medicine.
HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room.