500 companies to show up at International Food & Beverage Expo 2017

(VNF) – 500 food & beverage manufacturers, processors and packing firms will rub shoulders at the 21^st VietFood, Beverage and Professional Packing Machinary (VietFood & Beverage – ProPack) which will take place in Ho Chi Minh city from August 9-12.

500 companies to show up at HCM.City Food, Beverage and Pro-Packing Machinery (hcm.foodexvietnam.com)

food and beverage trade held by the Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company (Vinaxad), sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The exhibition will display agricultural, aquacultural products; beverage, nutrition supplements, functional food, food additives & ingredients; food packaging machines and equipment, food preservative, and brand franchise.

According to Pham Dang Khanh, Director of the Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising company (Vinexad) Saigon, the VBP 2017 trade fair will consist of 600 pavilions representing 500 companies from 20 countries and territories, including Thailand, Germany, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and China.

Half of the companies participating in the VBP 2017 are food and beverage manufacturers and processors (tea, coffee, soft drink, processed agricultural products, fruits and dried fruits) including Tan Nhat Huong (coffee, bakers, baking ingredients); Canh Dong Vang (juice and jam), Vissan (sausage, cold cut and canned food), Dan On (chestnut, oat and peanuts), Tan Quang Minh (beverage).

Especially, this year will mark the first time Czech Republic, UAE, Brazil and France take part in the trade promotion event.

One of the highlight of VBP 2017 will be the exhibition zone of the Association of Poultry Processors and Poultry Trade in the EU countries , which will showcase hi-quality products from the Western advanced agriculture.

Also at the event, representatives of the European exhibitors will conduct a brief talk on organic rearing and the application of modern technology in processing and preserving food, which will vastly benefit Vietnamese enterprises.

Additionally, Vinaxad, in coordination with the Ho Chi Minh City Food Association (FFA) and the Vietnam Retailers Association will conduct sideline events such as conferences and seminars on various food and beverage-related issues, which are “Food and beverage retails in Vietnam: the multi-color picture and future challenges”, “Trends in overseas food and beverage retailing markets and suggestion for Vietnam”; "Toward the green food trend – Solution for the furture”.

VBP 2017 will also promote Vietnamese organic rice and specialties such as honey, bird nests, cereals, etc.

The event is expected to draw 20,000 visitor arrivals, including consumers and enterprises.

In 2016, the exhibition brought together 425 companies and 500 pavilions from 21 countries and territories. According to the organizing board, VBP 2017’s exhibition attracted 15,300 visitors, while its sideline events attracted 9,200 inpiduals working in different parts of the supply chain, from food and beverage export- import, distribution to food processing & manufacturing, packaging as well as managers from related sectors like hospitality.

At last year event, Vietnamese signature agricultural products such as coffee, rice, seafood captured mass attention from both overseas and domestic visitors.

Since its inception in 1996, Vietfood & Beverage - ProPack 2017 has brought in huge commercial values.

The rising number of participants proves enterprises' rising awareness of the importance of exhibition and trade promotion activities. (hcm.foodexvietnam.com)

The event has been conducted in an annual basis, steadily in the last 20 years.

The Vietnamese food and beverage industry has been experiencing a steady rising trend, in terms of both scale of investment, quantity and quality of products.

Various Vietnamese credible brands, besides securing a high position in the country, have even expanded their presence to overseas markets such as Habeco, Sabeco, Tan Hiep Phat, A&B.

According to Khanh, the practical benefit enterprises reaped from VBP in previous years have led to vast increase in the number of firms registering for the event this year.

However, as exhibition slot is limited, the organizing board had to turn down some of the requests, he added.

The rising number of participants also proves enterprises' rising awareness of the importance of exhibition and trade promotion activities.

According to Director of the Ho Chi Minh city Food Association Ly Kim Chi, in recents years, food and beverage companies in Vietnam has been going on the right track, with improved competitiveness over foreign peers.

The beverage sector experiences a 40% growth while food is at 20%, Chi said.

She also stated that VBO 2017, with the attendance of hundreds of companies will be a great networking opportunity for Vietnamese business to expand and increase their presence in global market.

VBP 2017 will open from August 9 - 12 at Saigon Exhibitions and Conventions Center, 799 Nguyen Van Linh Str., Dist.7, Ho Chi Minh City./.

( Phi Yen )