FP: How are preparations for this year’s Asia Fruit Logistica going?GL: Very well. We have lots of new elements that will even further enhance the value of our exhibition for all. 40% longer opening hours to do more business, a Business Forum covering topics ranging from “how to build a produce brand”, to “collaborative chain management”. And to top it all off, the launch of our annual Asia Fruit Awards.
FP: How did exhibitors respond after the move to the new exhibition centre last year?
GL: In three ways. Firstly they asked us for even longer opening hours to be able to benefit even more from the presence of our top-quality visitors. Secondly, they have booked even more exhibition space than last year, and thirdly they have helped us to win over even more companies to exhibit alongside them than ever before. We have a record 369 exhibitors from a record 36 countries.
FP: You mentioned the Asia Fruit Award. Why another award?GL: To my knowledge, there are no pan-Asian awards in the fresh produce trade for the region. That is just one of the elements that make our award unique.
FP: What will the focus of this Award be?
GL: We have joined forces with Asiafruit Magazine to launch the new annual Asia Fruit Awards, which will celebrate excellence and recognise achievement for the best players in the fresh fruit & vegetable business in Asia.
FP: Which areas will you look at?
GL: The Asia Fruit Award will be given in three categories, namely –
Marketing Campaign of the Year, Importer of the Year, and Produce Retailer of the Year.
FP: How will this award distinguish itself from the Fruit Logistica Innovation Award?
GL: The category names I have just mentioned are the best indicator of the difference. The Asia Fruit Awards are not focused on one specific product. Rather, they recognise the excellent work that individual companies are doing in key parts of the fresh produce value chain in Asia. Beyond the direct recognition, the aim is to highlight these efforts to the fresh produce trade in general. These winners of the Asia Fruit Awards can serve as benchmarks of excellence for the trade.
FP: How will this be presented and when?
GL: The inaugural Asia Fruit Awards will be presented during the joint Asiafruit Congress/Asia Fruit Logistica Welcome Reception on the eve the exhibition (3rd September 2013). The winner of each category will receive an Asia Fruit Award trophy and will no doubt benefit from a lot of trade and media attention from across Asia and beyond.
FP: How many Asian exhibitors are there and what is the growth from last year?
GL: As it happens we have exactly the same number of exhibitors from Asia as we had last year namely, 127, which makes up 34% the total exhibitors. The rest of the exhibitors are made up of 29% from Europe, 21% from the Americas, as well as 9% & 7% respectively from Oceania and Africa. The growth in exhibitor numbers in total is a strong 8% compared to last year.
FP: What do you expect of Asian visitors, both numbers and quality?
GL: We are anticipating over 6,000 trade visitors in total from 60 countries, with around 60% of them from Asia. But even more important than the number of visitors, is the fact that our event is known for the high quality of the trade visitors it attracts. We are confident that, as in the past, well over 80% of the trade visitors attending will be closely involved in the purchasing and procuring decision-making process within their company. Which I am sure your readers will agree is quite something.
FP: What do exhibitors and visitors who are attending Asia Fruit Logistica for the first time need to know ?
GL: Make sure you also attend the Asiafruit Congress, which offers unparalleled insights into the Asian fresh produce trade in a high-impact one-day format on the day before our exhibition starts. At the exhibition itself, be prepared to experience the incredible vitality, dynamism, and opportunity that the Asian fresh produce trade has to offer, so that you can make the best use of it.