5,722 visitors at Asia Fruit Logistica
A record 5,722 visitors from 64 different nations attended Asia Fruit Logistica 2012, which took place on 5-7 September at AsiaWorld-Expo Centre in Hong Kong.
The visitor numbers, which marked a 7 per cent increase over last year’s attendance, confirmed the event's status as the must-attend event for Asia’s rapidly growing fresh fruit and vegetable business.
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But it was the top-quality of the visitors – and the range of global countries they represented – that continued to define the success of Asia’s leading trade fair for the international fresh produce business.
“We’re delighted with the number, quality and international scope of the buyers and trade visitors this year,” said Gérald Lamusse, managing director of event organiser Global Produce Events GmbH.
Official visitor survey results revealed that 84 per cent of trade visitors held leading management positions in their companies, while 86 per cent were closely involved in the purchasing and procurement decision-making process.
“This high calibre of visitors is a key factor in the continued strong business outcomes for our participants,” Lamusse added.
Asia Fruit Logistica 2012 set records on a number of other fronts, not least exhibitor numbers, which climbed to 341 exhibitors, representing 30 different countries.
The balance of regional representation was similar to previous years, although Asia, which accounted for the largest number of exhibitors (38 per cent), continued to expand its share.
A quarter of exhibitors came from Europe, followed by Latin America with 12 per cent, Oceania (10 per cent), Africa (8 per cent) and North America (7 per cent).
Unsurprisingly, China remained the single largest country in terms of exhibitor numbers with 87 exhibitors, up from 77 in 2011.
European companies were out in force once again, and leading the way was Italy, which retained its position as the second-largest exhibitor country at the show with 29 individual exhibitors.
Italy’s significant presence was anchored by the launch of the ‘Piazza Italia’ concept at Asia fruit Logistica, which is already a popular theme of the country’s national pavilion at Fruit Logistica in Berlin.
In another strong signal of European companies’ growing focus on Asian markets, Belgium-based industry giant Univeg took part as an exhibitor for the first time.
Elsewhere, Egypt significantly expanded its presence at this year’s show following the country’s debut appearance in 2011. After Australia with 24 exhibitors and the US with 23, Egypt was in fact the fifth-largest country at the trade fair in terms of exhibitor numbers, with a total of 21 companies represented.
This year’s event featured a record 18 national pavilions, with Mexico, Greece and Portugal taking national pavilions for the first time at the event.
Another notable trend of this year’s event was the increased size and quality of the stands. “The average stand size has grown per exhibitor, which also demonstrates the growing commitment of companies around the world to this event, and to the Asian markets,” said Lamusse.
Asia Fruit Logistica took place in conjunction with Asiafruit Congress, Asia’s premier fresh fruit and vegetable conference event, whose sessions ran each morning before the trade fair opened.
Patrick Vizzone, managing director of Rabobank International’s Hong Kong branch, set the agenda for the fifteenth edition of the Asiafruit Congress with a keynote address on Asia’s remarkable economic rise, and what it means for the global fruit and vegetable business.
Day Two of the Asiafruit Congress opened with a focus on retail sourcing strategies in China, with expert insights from David Zhang, head of Spar Beijing, and Ben Cavender of China Market Research Group Asia. Plenary sessions on Day Three, meanwhile, looked at what Asian retailers are doing to boost the appeal of their fresh produce departments, and at the challenge of gaining and maintain access to key markets in Asia.
As part of a fresh format, this year’s Asiafruit Congress also featured new breakout sessions on more specific themes, including the role of good agricultural practices in Asia, the importance of on-pack messaging, the development of the berry category in Asia, and the growth of the Korean market.
In addition to the Asiafruit Congress, a number of other industry meetings and functions took places on the fringes of the trade fair and conference event. For the first time, the Southern Hemisphere Association of Fresh Fruit Exporters (SHAFFE) held a regional meeting in Asia during Asia fruit Logistica. The meeting was attended by 20 representatives covering most members, demonstrating the increasing role that Asian markets are playing for Southern Hemisphere fruit producers and exporters.
The next edition of Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress takes place on 4-6 September 2013 at the AsiaWorld-Expo Centre in Hong Kong.
For more information please visit www.asiafruitlogistica.com or www.asiafruitcongress.com