Leading regional F&B trade show, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia, successfully concluded its 2020 event, becoming one of the first post-Covid-19 international trade exhibitions to open in Asia as Thailand gets back to business.

Attracting professionals from across the international F&B industry, who gathered to network, exchange valuable insights and explore potential collaboration, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia’s success as an integral platform for businesses to leverage new opportunities highlights the positive outlook for the F&B industry.

Amidst a challenging business climate, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia attracted an impressive turnout of 797 exhibitors and 21,104 trade visitors at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani exhibition centre in Bangkok, standing as testament to the trade show’s value to the F&B industry. Aside from a strong turnout from the local community, international businesses from countries like Brazil, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Norway, Poland and USA participated through their local representative offices. 

The region’s leading F&B industry platform

With a proven track record bolstered by the exciting collaboration of two reputable brands – THAIFEX and Anuga – this was the first edition of the jointly held event. Business networking and market exposure continue to be the main focus points of the show, which was deemed to be a resounding success. 

 

While the physical event in Bangkok may have now closed its doors, business-matching opportunities will continue until 2nd October (Friday) with the introduction of a new Virtual Meet element that extends the anchor-networking platform – The Hosted Buyer Programme. Ensuring that exhibitors achieve maximum exposure and buyers continue to enjoy extensive sourcing opportunities, the Virtual Meet will facilitate interactions with a carefully curated group of more than 500 international buyers. This group includes representatives from hypermarkets, convenience store chains, e-commerce groups and others, such as METRO Retail Group, Circle K and Lazada Group, to name just a few. 

Laurent Pousse, General Manager, International Sourcing Department (Fresh & Grocery), Group Supermarket & Food Development, The Mall Group Company Limited: “We really want to show our appreciation to THAIFEX – _Anuga Asia for being one of the first F&B trade shows to take place after COVID-19. F&B is a key industry and extending our network of sourcing partners is essential, so in a year with so many ups and downs, and serious unpredictability in business outlook, an event like THAIFEX – _Anuga Asia with both physical and virtual interaction is a shining opportunity in difficult times. Face-to-face interaction is still irreplaceable for industries like F&B.” 

Key virtual highlights from the hybrid trade show 

The trade show this year included both online and offline elements with virtual options made available for selected event highlights. This successful adaptation allowed THAIFEX – Anuga Asia to provide event participants with a similar variety and quality of activities while not compromising on safety and security. 

A great example is how the Future Food Experience+ successfully returned this year as an entirely digital experience – with 13 industry leaders sharing F&B insights and engaging in discussions about future trends in South East Asia with more than 1,100 registered participants through webinars. The longevity of this virtual event has also been extended as interested parties can continue tuning in until the end of October. 

Other key online elements included video streaming on Facebook Live, with 4,154 viewers watching 62 live sessions over three days, an upgraded online platform for buyers to obtain quotes and information from exhibitors and the THAIFExporter, a virtual initiative by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) to facilitate international business negotiations. The THAIFExporter programme accepted 1,018 matching requests, bridging 261 Thai exporters with 752 international buyers. 

William Silva dos Santos, Head of the Trade Section at the Embassy of Brazil said: “Our experience at the hybrid edition of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia this year was extremely valuable as it opened up unique opportunities for Brazilian companies to connect with not only Thai businesses but also international organisations. We are grateful for how the trade show pushed on with an inventive twist this year to overcome geographical borders, enabling the companies to network with partners across the world and form new business partnerships amidst these challenging times.” 

Key highlights at the exhibitions ground 

With stringent safety measures in place at THAIFEX – Anuga Asia, the physical event was equally exciting. And featuring a variety of different supporting 

programmes meant that participants enjoyed a holistic experience. DITP’s offline product showcase, Eat Responsibly, also engaged those interested in learning about the latest trends in modern food consumption. 

THAIFEX – Anuga Asia has also long been known for discovering and highlighting the most innovative food products – and this year was no exception. From plant-based meat to protein powder made from insects, the THAIFEX-Anuga Taste Innovation Show uncovered creative items, attracting interest from many major buyers. 

Preparing for the future 

Discovering and developing new industry leaders is vital for the F&B industry to continue thriving in the years ahead. This is why THAIFEX – Anuga Asia has always prioritised start-ups and technology, providing them with a platform to not only increase visibility but also to make the right connections for growing their business. At this year’s THAIFEX-Anuga Startup | Tech Pavilion, no less than 27 local start-ups and technology companies were featured, offering these innovative fledgling businesses access to key decision-makers and investors. 

Provided with a precious stage to pitch novel ideas both offline and online, these dynamic companies had plenty of opportunities to shine. Chatchai Pholmoon, Managing Director of Robomotion Technik Co., Ltd, said that participating in THAIFEX – Anuga Asia had proved “extremely beneficial” as his firm had managed to begin many promising discussions. “It’s a major boost to our business outlook, as 2020 has been very unpredictable and this has been the only event of its kind carried out this year,” he observed. “It’s helped us take our business to the next level, and we also want to thank the organisers for making this connection.” 

Reinforcing a commitment to Thailand

With the size of the market reaching US$123,814 million in 2019, and with revenue figures projected to further increase in 2020, F&B has been – and will continue to be – a key sector for Asia. Even amidst the challenges thrown up by Covid-19, new opportunities continue to rise, and businesses must form the right partnerships to effectively adapt and succeed. 

“THAIFEX – Anuga Asia is proud to reinforce our commitment to Thailand with the successful completion of the trade show. We hope that the event can represent the bright future for the F&B industry in not only Thailand but also the rest of the world,” said the organisers of THAIFEX - Anuga Asia. “We look forward to coming back even stronger next year, with the tripartite collaboration between Koelnmesse, DITP and TCC enabling THAIFEX – Anuga Asia to continue steadfastly supporting F&B businesses to scale new heights.” 

THAIFEX – Anuga Asia returns to Bangkok from 25–29 May 2021. For more details, visit: https://thaifex-anuga.com/en/