Food Expo and concurrent events spurs public shopping spree

- Food Expo, Food Expo PRO, Beauty & Wellness Expo, Home Delights Expo and Hong Kong International Tea Fair drew to a successful close today. The five concurrent fairs welcomed some 1,860 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions and attracted over 500,000 visits
- Over 90% of local exhibitors accepted electronic payment options for added attendee convenience, and the per capita spending reached HK$1,615; an increase of more than 6% compared to last year
- Four new theme days drove local spending, creating a vibrant spending atmosphere
- The International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM), ended on a high note with 18 renowned speakers discussing the latest issues, including the development of Chinese medicine products in the Greater Bay Area

HONG KONG, Aug 19, 2024 - (ACN Newswire) - The HKTDC Food Expo, HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo and HKTDC Home Delights Expo, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), drew to a successful close today, with the total number of visits reaching over 500,000, and an overall spending capita of HK$1,615. The five trade fairs attracted some 1,860 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions and were bustling with visitors amidst a lively spending atmosphere, highlighting the strong appeal and reputation of these annual flagship events.

The Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair also ended on a high note on 17 August. The two trade fairs saw exhibitors and trade buyers from around the world, including some 20,500 buyers from 60 countries and regions. Buyers outside Hong Kong mainly came from Mainland China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and more, reinforcing Hong Kong’s position as a major food and beverage trading hub in the region. The ICMCM, organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) together with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions, also successfully concluded on 16 August.

Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director, said: “This year, for the first time, four theme days featured across all fairs contributing to their resounding success. Well-designed, exciting and innovative activities drew large crowds, fuelling visitor spending. This year, the introduction of a dedicated Halal food and beverage label, on products from more than 100 exhibitors at the Food Expo PRO and Food Expo was welcomed by buyers and the public visitors. We were pleased to see the Hong Kong International Tea Fair continue to gain strong support from regional pavilions and exhibitors. The five fairs successfully created significant business opportunities for exhibitors, and a vibrant shopping destination for the public.”

Over 90% of local exhibitor accepted electronic payment methods with per capita spending reached HK$1,615

Over 90% of local exhibitors at the Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, and Home Delights Expo accepted electronic payment. In a survey conducted on-site by the HKTDC. More than 50% of about 1,500 respondents said they had spent HK$1,000 or more at the exhibition. Nearly 85% of respondents said they paid electronically, emphasising how e-payment boosts spending by offering visitors ease and convenience. The overall per capita spending was estimated at HK$1,615; a year-on-year rise of more than 6%.

Strong consumption fuelled by encouraging sales results

The city’s premier annual Food Expo is dedicated to showing the world’s finest cuisine and wines.

Taiwan exhibitor Grass Lands Food Co., Ltd. exhibited at the fair for the first time and achieved great results with a whole container crispy jerky and chewy jerky sold out by the fourth day of fair. According to Yu-Hung Wang, manager of Grass Lands Food Co. Ltd, said, “Many consumers from Mainland China and Hong Kong showed great interest in our jerky products and the sales were exceptional and far exceeded our expectation. We successfully promoted our brand and products at the fair."

The Beauty & Wellness Expo showcased quality products, including popular home-use beauty devices, skincare brands, hair care products, and more. The Korean beauty brand, medicube, returned to the fair with an enlarged booth of 96 square metres. The brand’s senior associate of beauty marketing team, Julie An, saw a lot of potential in Hong Kong for Korean beauty brands and brought two more brands to this year’s fair. Their best seller was the medicube’s AGE-R Booster Pro beauty device with an average daily sales volume of more than 1,000 sets at the special Expo price of HK$1,700 each. Other medicube beauty products were also well-received by Hong Kong consumers with new customers responsible for more than 75% of sales.

The Home Delights Expo featured massage chairs, smart home technology, stylish homeware, bedding and furniture. Giormani, a custom-made sofa specialist renowned for its quality and design, made its first appearance at the Home Delights Expo this year. Shop Manager, Kenji Wan, said the booth attracted a lot of attention from new customers. With the special discounts of up to 59% off to stimulate onsite sales, they expected a sales turnover of approximately HK$2 million.

Trade fairs opened doors to new business opportunities for Halal products

The Food Expo PRO brought together leading food and beverage companies, technology enterprises and representative organisations from countries and regions around the world.

In line with the growing interest in Halal food, a new label was introduced to help buyers easily identify and source Halal food and beverages. Joseph Leung, senior adviser of business development at Haichang Ocean Park Holdings Ltd, a developer of a marine theme park resort in Saudi Arabia, placed substantial orders with exhibitors from Thailand and Mainland China, securing annual contracts worth up to US$500,000 of Halal-certified rice and tea.

The Food Science and Technology zone showcased the latest food products, services and technology to help the industry explore business opportunities. Elevatefoods Technology showcased their patented smart 3D food printing and multi-level cooking technology. Connie Lee, Co-founder and CEO, said: “Food tech is a fast growing trend in the industry and the Food Expo PRO served as a solid platform to launch our innovation and technology with buyers from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam showing interest in our 3D food tech devices.” 

Food Expo PRO also welcomed 20 pavilions from different countries and regions. Panita Shinawatra, Acting Director General of Thailand’s Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, said they have lined up 10 food producers from Thailand to promote Thai-style food and beverage products at Food Expo PRO. They received very strong response in particular from buyers from Mainland China and Hong Kong and orders worth more than US$300,000 were secured for snacks, seasoning and other products.

Abdul Rahman, CEO of Trans-Atlantic Trading Company Limited from Kenya, exhibited at the Hong Kong International Tea Fair for the first time and established links with 15 buyers from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Egypt, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam. The company expects to receive new orders worth US$2 million directly from the fair.

Hybrid mode connects local and international business opportunities

The Food Expo PRO and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair operated under the hybrid model EXHIBITION+, allowing global food and tea buyers to connect through physical and online platforms. Click2Match, a smart business matching platform, will continue to facilitate online meetings until 24 August.

ICMCM fosters collaboration and advances the industry through dynamic exchanges

The ICMCM, organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) in partnership with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions, drew to a successful conclusion. The conference fostered insightful discussions on timely industry issues, including opportunities and challenges in Chinese medicine research, and cross-regional exchanges and development of Chinese medicine products in the Greater Bay Area.

Held alongside the Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, Home Delights Expo, the Food Expo PRO and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, the conference contributed to a dynamic, multi-faceted event encompassing food, beauty, health, household goods, and Chinese medicine. This synergy fostered a vibrant platform for cross-industry exchange and collaboration.

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About HKTDC

The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong’s trade. With 50 offices globally, including 13 in Mainland China, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.