The countdown to the launch of China Fruit Logistica is on. The leading national trade show for China’s fresh produce business opens its doors for the first time on 14-16 May at the Shanghai Convention & Exhibition Center of International Sourcing.
Visitors can look forward to taking in a wide range of products and services for the Chinese market at the three-day trade fair, with exhibitors registered from more than 12 provinces across China as well as from every continent and every sector of the international fresh produce business, according to the show’s organiser Global Produce Events (GPE) Shanghai.
Exhibitors from some 18 different countries will be showcasing their wares at China Fruit Logistica, including Australia, Canada, China, Egypt, Finland, France, Israel, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the US and Uruguay.
Products and services will be on display from across the entire value chain, from crop solutions, through optical sorting technologies, to new branded fruits, according to GPE Shanghai.
China’s fresh produce business is hungry for technologies to upgrade production and supply chain processes, and to feed growing consumer demand for high-quality produce on domestic shores. There will be plenty on offer at China Fruit Logistica.
Israel-headquartered precision agriculture technology firm Croptimal is gearing up to launch its innovative crop-testing services at the event while controlled atmosphere equipment manufacturer Beijing Fruitong Technology will showcase its supply chain solutions.
Cherries and blueberries are two fast-growing categories in China’s fresh produce market. New Zealand sorting and grading equipment manufacturer BBC Technologies will showcase its sorting and packing machines Curo and Kato, designed precisely for processing such small-sized fruits. Meanwhile, Italy-based expert in optical sorting technology Raytec Vision will display its latest machine, Dryce, designed for dried and frozen products.
Avocados have been enjoying a consumption boom in China. Developing the market for ready-to-eat product looks key to maintaining this exciting growth rate, and leading companies in the field will be displaying the latest pre-ripened products and solutions. Importer-distributor Shanghai Supafresh will be promoting its Bravocado brand of ready-to-eat avocados while Mr Avocado, which is set to open its second ripening centre in Southern China, will explain how its pre-ripened avocados can help retailers to reduce inventory pressure, boost sales and cut costs.
Intra-China and international
China Fruit Logistica launches as the premier platform on a national scale for China’s fresh fruit and vegetable business, bringing together producers, traders, retailers and service providers from across the country with key international players.
“Visitors to China Fruit Logistica will find excellent fresh produce partners from every continent,” said Will Wollbold, general manager of GPE Shanghai. “It’s the only trade exhibition in China to bring together so many top decision makers with effective international connections to the wide world of fresh produce.”
Three-track event programme
In addition to the business and networking opportunities, visitors can access high-quality information and insights through a busy three-track programme of events, organised on the show-floor by Asiafruit China.
Taking place at the Main Stage is Fresh Produce Forum China, China’s leading fresh produce conference event. Here, visitors can enjoy keynote presentations and high-powered panel discussions on the hot topics and trends in China’s fresh produce business.
At the Expert Stage, visitors can meet industry experts from around the world, and get practical insights on the best products, systems and solutions for their business.
Meanwhile, the Media Studio features quick-fire live interviews with key industry figures covering the latest trends and innovations.
“Our three-track programme is packed with information to suit everybody’s needs, from strategic insights to hands-on solutions,” said Asiafruit China editor Yuxin Yang.
Main Stage: Fresh Produce Forum China
Day One at Fresh Produce Forum China kicks off with a session on building domestic quality fruit standards and brands. Keynoting the session will be Xie Lingyun, general manager of Youguolian, an industry alliance and brand management company led by Yu Huiyong, chairman of Chinese fruit store chain Pagoda, and backed by China Good Agri-products Development & Service Association (CGAPA). As general manager of Fruit Ally, Xie is focused on better integrating the supply chain in China to build fruit brands. He’ll be joined in the session by Jae Chun, vice-president and general manager of leading Driscoll’s China, which has been working to develop berry production in China’s southwest.
Day Two’s headline session at Fresh Produce Forum China focuses on the changing shape of the China market, with expert perspectives from Zhang Yi of Beijing-based B2B wholesale company Floruit and You Zhijiang, chairman of Jiaxing Fruit Wholesale Market.
Avocados also come under the spotlight. Raz Dor of Mobius and Jason Xu of Shanghai Supafresh will discuss the future for this fast-developing category in China.
Consumer and retail trends are the focus for Day Three at Fresh Producde Forum China. Joanna Zheng of Alibaba’s e-tail platform TMall Fresh, Guo Chenglin, chairman of brand marketing company Share Ideas, and Zespri International’s head of global marketing Ng Kok Hwee, will share their insights on marketing to young women and mothers. In another headline session, Zha Nan of 36Kr Research Institute, Clark Meng of JD 7Fresh and Loren Zhao of Freshbridge will discuss what New Retail means for China’s fresh produce business.
Each day at Fresh Produce Forum China will feature a different regional showcase. Day One turns the spotlight on Shaanxi, with case studies from Wang Linsong of Haisheng and Qi Feng of Qifeng. Yunnan is the focus for Day Two, with insights from Lew Dagger of Yunnan Management and Oliver Davies of S&A Produce. Day Three zones in on Hainan Island, China’s tropical fruit hub. Cobby Lin of Yumsun, Zhao Jun of Hainan Tiandiren and Peng Shidun of Sanya Mango Association will discuss the latest developments for the island state’s production.
Expert Stage: hear from the leaders
At the Expert Stage, visitors can hear talks every hour from industry leaders on some of the best systems and solutions spanning the supply chain.
Packaging and marketing is the theme for Day One at the Expert Stage. Jean-Christophe Couzin of international grading company Maf-Roda will share his insights on planning a packhouse fit-out. Greg Saint James of Tomra will discuss advances in sorting technologies to achieve consistent internal and external quality. Wuling of TMall Fresh will discuss how to market products online, while Gilad Sadan of consulting company Navi Co will illustrate the roles packaging can play as a marketing tool.
Day Two switches the focus to Production. Gao Junfang of agribusiness giant Haisheng will profile some of the new fruit varieties coming into the Chinese industry. Ofer Ben Mazia of Croptimal will outline some digital disruptions in production systems. Clare Hamilton-Bate of Australian company Freshcare will discuss collaborative knowledge sharing in the food safety space while Rijk Zwaan’s Jan Doldersum and Claas van Os of Levarht will present a case study on covered cropping based on a Dutch-Chinese partnership to supply high-quality product to Chinese retail chains.
Logistics and Cold Chain are the focus for Day Three at the Expert Stage. Pieter Vandevelde of Australian start-up TBSx3 will explain the role blockchain can play to transform fresh produce supply chains. Makoto Oe of major Japanese fruit distributor Farmind will discuss breakthrough innovation in cold chain distribution. Cory Guo of Jiuye will explain how the development of China’s cold chain is providing new opportunities for cross border fruit and vegetable trade, while Zhang Yi of Floruit will review systems for optimising supply chain efficiencies for wholesalers and distributors.
All components of the conference programme are open to China Fruit visitors, and take place in the same hall as the exhibition, which is open from 10am to 4pm daily. All sessions offer simultaneous Chinese-English translation.
Visitors to China Fruit Logistica who buy their tickets online can make a 40 per cent saving on their entry fee compared with registering onsite. Visitors can request an official tax receipt for claiming reimbursement of travel expenses.
For more information, go to www.chinafruitlogistica.cn/en
