Asia Fruit Logistica ready to reunite global trade

Asia Fruit Logistica is gearing up to bring the global fresh fruit and vegetable business together next week as it returns to its long-established location in Hong Kong.

Asia Fruit Logistica is back on 6-8 September 2023 at AsiaWorld-Expo together with Asiaruit Congress. Visitors and exhibitors from across the world can look forward to the “best-ever edition” of Asia’s premier fresh produce trade show and conference event, according to David Axiotis, managing director of Asia Fruit Logistica organiser Global Produce Events (GPE). 

“We’re delighted to welcome back to Hong Kong the vibrant community of fresh produce business professionals that gathers each and every year at Asia Fruti Logistica,” Axiotis said in a media release.

“Our exhibitors and visitors will meet with key buyers and suppliers from across the world and from every link of the value chain. They will get the best market insights and learn about the newest trends from industry experts and thought leaders. And they’ll discover a vast array of new products and cutting-edge innovations and technologies, all in one place.”

Asia Fruit Logistica kicks off with a joint Welcome Reception on the evening of 5 September, hosted together with Asiafruit Congress. Taking place at the SkyCity Marriot Hotel next to AsiaWorld-Expo, the invitation-only cocktail event brings together leading global industry professionals for an evening of networking and information exchange in a relaxed atmosphere.

Exhibition showcases global offering

Asia Fruit Logistica opens its doors on 6-8 September 2023, and visitors and exhibitors can look forward to a truly international show, which is back at full scale.

More than 700 exhibitors from some 42 countries or regions are ready to showcase their products and services, said GPE in the release. Visitors can take in innovative offerings spanning the entire value chain, including fresh produce, logistics, machinery, technology, packaging and more.

Asia Fruit Logistica features some 24 national or regional pavilions, including Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Moldova, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Poland, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, USA, and Vietnam. 

Top-quality trade visitors

Asia Fruit Logistica is set to attract high-quality trade visitors and buyers from across the globe, representing a wide range of sectors. Attendees include fresh produce growers, importers, exporters, and distributors; retailers, including supermarket chains, e-commerce players and fruit stores; major wholesalers and wholesale markets; industry service providers spanning logistics, packaging, machinery, technology; and government associations.

High-level retail buyers from across Asia and beyond are attending Asia Fruit Logistica, said GPE. Leading players in China are strongly represented, including 7fresh, Dingdong Fresh, Freshippo, JD Fresh, Meituan, Olé Supermarket, Sam’s Club, Walmart and Yonghui among others.

Sam’s Club China is looking forward to meeting with top global fresh produce suppliers at Asia Fruit Logistica.

“Asia Fruit Logistica is the platform for the global fresh produce industry to meet in one place,” said a senior buyer from Sam’s Club. “It’s a really efficient way for suppliers and buyers to connect and get to know each other. The show also enables us to learn about the latest trends in production and planting, so we can import new and improved varieties in the future.”

Asiafruit Congress: hear from industry leaders

In addition to the wealth of meeting and business opportunities at Asia Fruit Logistica, visitors and exhibitors can gain top-quality information and insights through a packed event programme across two stages on the exhibition floor.

Asiafruit Congress, Asia’s premier fresh produce business conference, takes place at the main stage (Hall 5B) across all three days of Asia Fruit Logistica.

Day One (6 September) focuses on Marketing & Consumers. A range of high-profile speakers are ready to share their expert insights on the latest trends and market opportunities in Asia, including Chris Baker of Totem Media, NielsenIQ’s Edwin Sun and Julian Smith of Rockit Global.

Tech & Innovation is the theme for Day Two (7 September). Elad Mardix of Clarifruit and DiMuto’s Gary Loh outline the benefits artificial intelligence is bringing to the fresh produce trade. T&G Global CEO Gareth Edgecombe discusses the potential for automation in apple orchards. An expert panel of breeders and marketers also explains how varietal innovation is driving growth across key categories, including apples, grapes and berries.

Day Three (8 September) spotlights Markets & Trade. ANZ senior economist Betty Wang sets the scene with an overview of the shifting global trade landscape. A spotlight on Vietnam hears from Biovegi’s Lu Minh Quang and Angel Mompo of Fresh Fruit-X on the opportunities for imported fruits in this booming market. A panel of industry leaders also discusses China’s changing distribution landscape, including Iván Marambio of the Chilean Fruit Exporters Association (Asoex), Wang Song of Qupai Fruit (Joy Wing Mau) and Mike Chiue of Hongjiu Fruit.

View the full Asiafruit Congress agenda and speaker profiles here.

Asiafruit Business Forum: three-track programme

Visitors can also join a diverse programme of workshops and informative sessions at Asiafruit Business Forum, which takes place daily on the trade show floor (Hall 3B). Asiafruit Business Forum is back with a new format in 2023 featuring three different tracks.

Launchpad on Day One (6 September) provides a platform for exhibitors to showcase a range of products, technologies, and solutions. 

Hans Liekens of Sekoya Fruit discusses the ‘blue skies’ for the blueberry industry as consumption continues to boom. Duncan Aust of AgroFresh explains how the company’s post-harvest solutions help growers and marketers to maintain product quality throughout the supply chain. Ting Yuan of Shenzhen Asia Global analyses the current situation and future development of China’s imported fruit supply chain. Basilio Huang of Lytone Enterprise showcases the LytoFresh quality solution, which helps to achieve uniform standards and minimise post-harvest losses. And California Avocado Commission’s Ken Melban and Terry Splane highlight how California avocados are sustainably grown.

Day Two (7 September) Asiafruit Business Forum features Partner Content. The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) delivers a programme of education sessions focused on food safety and retail merchandising in the morning (11:00-12:30).

In the afternoon of the Partner Content Day (13:00-16:30), Asiafruit China hosts a series of Chinese-language workshops offering practical advice on developing a premium domestic fruit brand in China, from production through post-harvest to marketing. The sessions include simultaneous English translation.

Asiafruit Business Forum concludes on Day Three (8 September) with the Logistics Hub, a series of workshops on cold chain logistics. Thomas Eskesen of Eskesen Advisory delivers a keynote presentation on the current situation and outlook for global reefer shipping. Expert talks also look at new solutions for fresh produce shippers, with workshops on shelf-life extension technologies, cold chain distribution and traceability. Speakers include Ivo Tunchel of StePac PPC, Paul Cheng of Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals (Hactl), and Gerd Uitdewilligen of Copeland.

View the full Asiafruit Business Forum programme here.

Asia Fruit Awards: celebrating excellence

The Asia Fruit Awards, the prestigious annual awards for Asia’s fresh produce business, are also presented at Asia Fruit Logistica.

The Asia Fruit Awards celebrate excellence and recognise outstanding achievement in Asia’s fresh produce business, with the winners presented by Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Magazine.

The winners of the Asia Fruit Awards 2023 are announced during a special presentation ceremony at Asiafruit Congress on the expo floor on Thursday 7 September at 14:00. 

The Asia Fruit Awards are given in three main categories – Marketing Campaign of the Year, Importer of the Year, and Produce Retailer of the Year – while the Impact Award recognises outstanding contribution to developing Asia’s fresh produce business.

Asiafruit Congress, Asiafruit Business Form and the Asia Fruit Awards presentation are free to attend for all Asia Fruit Logistica ticketholders.

Statistics Handbook

Visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress also get to see the first copies of the Asiafruit Congress Statistics Handbook 2023.

The annual statistical guide to Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable trade is available at Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Congress, and visitors can pick up a free copy.

Produced by Asiafruit Magazine, the Asiafruit Congress Statistics Handbook provides expert analysis of key trends in trade across 12 different Asian markets.

Online catalogue

Visitors can check out the full line-up of Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitors and their offerings or download the exhibitor list and floorplan via the online catalogue. They can use the filter and search functions to narrow down their interests and reach out in advance to future business partners by email. 

The online ticketshop for Asia Fruit Logistica remains open until 1 September 2023, midnight Hong Kong time. Visitors can skip the queues at the venue and save up to 40 per cent by purchasing their tickets in advance compared to the onsite rates.