The island city-state is gearing up to host the next edition of international food and hospitality show FHA2016 (Food&HotelAsia2016) from April 12 – 15, 2016, at Singapore Expo.
The show is likely to bring more than 300 first-time exhibitors along with a host of new international group pavilion entrants.The new exhibitors will bring with them, a range of new products and ingredients, equipment and supplies, and best-of-breed services. This results in a bigger and more diverse exhibition profile, offering more choices than ever before to industry buyers.
“For the 2016 event, we are seeing many new local and international companies joining us for the very first time. This is a firm reflection of the importance the industry places in the event, and solidifies its position as the event of choice for food and hospitality players, mega and small, from across the region and beyond,” says Ting Siew Mui, project director, lifestyle events, Singapore Exhibition Services, organiser of FHA.
The show will clock another first with its unveiling of ProWine Asia 2016. Teaming up with Messe Düsseldorf Asia to bring this newest ProWein satellite event to FHA, ProWine Asia 2016 presents an ideal gateway for international producers of wine and spirits wishing to tap into the southeast Asia market.
Many firsts in 38 years
First-time exhibitors: Local conglomerates such as Boon Tong Kee, Fraser & Neave, Lam Soon, Owl International and Yeo Hiap Seng will take the stage with approximately 3,000 returning exhibitors. Also joining the line-up of new exhibitors is a host of global brands, including Arla, Blue Diamond Growers, Scelta Mushrooms, and SodaStream Professional.
First-time international group pavilions: Algeria, Hungary, Poland, The Netherlands.
First outdoor extension: For the first time, space at FHA2016 will be extended to accommodate exhibitors from FoodAsia.
First ProWine Asia: With Messe Düsseldorf Asia, Singapore Exhibition Services will bring the first ProWine Asia exhibition to southeast Asia – co-located with FHA2016. Modelled after the globally recognised wine and spirit trade fair ProWein in Düsseldorf, ProWine Asia will tap into Messe Düsseldorf’s wealth of experience, expertise and standing as the business-promoting order platform for international wine and spirits segment. Through the staging of ProWine Asia, FHA will be able to grow and extend its existing wine and spirits segment.
First Sweet High Tea challenge: Part of the renowned FHA Culinary Challenge, the new Sweet High Tea Challenge, open to teams from hotels, restaurants, confectionaries, airlines, culinary training institutes and catering establishments, will see teams of two competing to impress judges with a high tea set for six.
First Hotels & Resorts Management conference track: This track will explore topics on suitable business models for hospitality owners, the use of smart technology for operational efficiency, sustainable hotel design and new design trends for hotels and resorts, as well as an update on new hospitality projects in the Asian region.
First talk track on F & B Productivity: Covering sustainable kitchen concepts and design, the new segment at the Food and Beverage Design, Technology & Operations conference track features case studies on effective designs to maximise productivity, trends in menu engineering and successful outsourcing of culinary preparations.
Asia-Pacific driving new opportunities
Recent demographic and policy changes in Asia-Pacific have led to a surge in international travel and retail spending in the region. The growing middle-class, affordable air travel and accommodation, as well as the ASEAN Open Skies Policy, which allows ASEAN airlines to fly freely throughout the region, are creating enormous potential for local and international brands.
To benefit from the influx of affluent travellers into the region, hoteliers and retailers need to look at ways to improve productivity. One way of achieving this is through the adoption of new technologies that help provide more personalised services to guests.
To address these trends, FHA2016 International Conference will discuss key issues affecting the food and hospitality industry, looking at commercial opportunities for hotels, green hotel design, big data analytics for smart operations, and food traceability, to name a few. Joint plenary sessions featuring CEO Insights, Stakeholders Panel Discussions and think tanks will see experts from around the world sharing their perspectives and views on the latest trends in the food and hospitality sectors.
“I am very heartened that our 20th installment is off to a great start and I am very excited to see the event come to fruition. The food and hospitality industry is evolving rapidly with changing consumer needs and behaviours. Consumers today not only expect good service from hospitality and foodservice establishments, they are also increasingly drawn to products derived from ethical, clean and safe manufacturing. We will be covering these trends at FHA2016, and we look forward to having meaningful discussions with participants,” adds Ting.
The show will feature six specialised exhibitions, namely FoodAsia, HotelAsia, SpecialityCoffee&Tea, Bakery&Pastry, HospitalityStyleAsia and HospitalityTechnology, each with their own themes and areas of focus.
Adding to the holistic experience, the show will host a series of activities including intense competitions targeting professionals from specific groups and sectors of the food and hospitality industry. These include the FHA Culinary Challenge 2016, the FHA Barista Challenge 2016, the FHA Latte Art Challenge 2016 and Asian Pastry Cup 2016.
The last edition of FHA in 2014 garnered the attention of more than 65,000 trade attendees and played host to about 3,000 exhibitors from 65 countries and regions.
