Shanghai savours China's leading food and drink tradeshow

Food and Hotel China in Shanghai provided a major opportunity for international buyers and exhibitors to link up in this rapidly growing market. By Karen Chan With 435 companies participating from 32 countries and attracting 11,019 trade visitors, the Eighth Food & Hotel China (FHC) exhibition in Shanghai reconfirmed its place as a leading event in China for doing business in the food, drink, hospitality and supermarket sectors. Organised by Hong Kong Exhibition Services (HKES) Shanghai, part of The Montgomery Network, the tradeshow continued to gain international recognition as a platform for launching products into the Chinese market. FHC, China's international exhibition of food and drink, hotel, restaurant, foodservice and retail supplies and services, incorporates several sectors: food and drink including sub-sections on wine and spirits; confectionery and China export; retail and hospitality equipment including sub-sections on bakery, hospitality interiors, and hospitality and supermarket technology. The tradeshow was launched in Beijing in 1994 and is now the longest running and largest international food show in China. In addition, it is also the only one in the country recognised by the Union Des Foires International. "In the food and hospitality sector, we are famous for our regional events including HOFEX in Hong Kong (Hofex Equipment Supplies and Technology - Asian International Exhibition of Hotel, Restaurant, Retail and Catering Equipment, Supplies and Services) and FHA (Food & Hotel Asia) in Singapore," HKES Shanghai general manager Mr Brendan Jennings explains. This accolade was reinforced with the presence of many international pavilions at the event, which took place between August 28-31. Underlining the importance of this exhibition was the official opening by the vice-mayor of Shanghai Municipal Government, Mr Feng Guo Qin and New Zealand Minister for small and medium-sized enterprises the Honourable Mr John Wright in the presence of leading associations and business groups. National pavilions included Australia, China, India, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Thailand from Asia Pacific. The daily visitor analysis showed 9.33% more delegates attended this year than attended FHC 2000. Of this number, 4,283 - or 39% - came from outside the Shanghai area. Mr Jennings believes this shows trade buyers from all over China recognise the importance of FHC and will travel to Shanghai to attend an international standard exhibition. "FHC is a very busy show with excellent quality visitors from all over China," ASC Fine Wines' sales and marketing director Mr Howard Quan agrees. According to the organiser, the China market has changed dramatically since the first FHC exhibition. "Every year FHC adapts to these challenges by offering new events and employing the most innovative marketing techniques to guarantee the country's leading food and hospitality buyers continue to use FHC as their 'supermarket for the Chinese hospitality and retail sector'," Mr Jennings says. FHC has been held three times in Beijing and five times in Shanghai. "This was the first time we have held FHC at the Shanghai Everbright Exhibition Centre, because we have outgrown the previous centres of INTEX and Shanghai Mart," Mr Jennings adds. The organiser has also settled on a new strategy involving two shows per year as a local 'city show' in a major city in either South or North China. These will be held in the first quarter of every year plus an annual event for all of China in Shanghai in September. That means potential visitors and exhibitors can put these dates in their diaries; FHC South China 2002 will be held in Guangzhou from June 26-28 2002 while the 9th FHC 2002 will be in Shanghai from September 3-6 next year. FHC North China 2003 will then shift to Beijing to be held March 4-6, while the 10th FHC 2003 will remain in Shanghai from September 16-19. The event is timed in advance of the principal buying season of October, December and Chinese New Year. "A food show, particularly in China, is always difficult mainly due to the extra precautions we must take to allow only trade visitors into the show," Mr Jennings says. "We have introduced a number of measures to ensure we maintain the high-quality visitors our clients expect." Alongside the exhibition, supporting organisations ran a series of industry seminars and competitions. A first for FHC 2001 and the Chinese food and drink industry was the presence of so many Asian buyers at the show, due to the addition of Chinese exhibitors in the China Export Zone, within the larger FHC 2001 event. China Export was open only to 100% Chinese National companies with no foreign investment and provided a first specialist food and drink event in China where exporters could meet international buyers. The event proved a resounding success with 1,177 buyers attending from every Asian country, Europe and the Americas. "More customers visited than expected including clients from the Philippines, South Korea and Japan," Jong Jia Frozen Food's general manager Ms Lily Liu says. The show also created opportunities for companies in markets overseas without the need to travel outside China. "There are many hospitality shows in China. But FHC is the only show that gives us good results and the only one we will continue to support," Dalian Sanyo Food Systems Company's director general manager Mr Ji Zhi Jian says.