More than 800 exhibitors from over 40 different countries are getting ready to showcase their products and services at Asia Fruit Logistica 2017.
Asia’s leading fresh fruit and vegetable trade show returns to Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo Center on 6-8 September – and it’s set to be the biggest and best edition yet.
Asia Fruit Logistica covers two halls this year, and bookings for exhibition space have expanded by around 30 per cent on the 2016 show, according to event organiser Global Produce Events (GPE). Exhibitor numbers are also up sharply on last year’s edition, which attracted 665 exhibitors.
With 43 exhibiting nations taking part and 23 national pavilions, visitors to Asia Fruit Logistica will find a global array of leading products and services on show.
Ukraine is one of five nations exhibiting for the first time at Asia Fruit Logistica, with the recently formed Ukrainian fruit growers association Ukrsadprom set to showcase the country’s apples, cherries and berries.
“Asia Fruit Logistica is not just our first exhibition in Asia – it’s our first exhibition outside Ukraine,” said Ukrsadprom chairman Dmytro Kroshka. “The main task of Ukrsadprom at international exhibitions is to prove that Ukraine is a modern and reliable partner capable of producing and supplying premium quality fruits and berries to anywhere in the world in modern packaging.”
Asia is often described as a ‘land of brands’ for the fresh produce business, and several brands will be making their debut appearance at Asia Fruit Logistica, while some well-established brands will be sporting a fresh look.
Pink Lady will launch a new ‘look and feel’ for its brand, including graphics and a revamped brand identity. Mr Avocado, which supplies ripe-and-ready avocados in mainland China, will take the opportunity to promote its brand to a wider audience. Leading citrus brand ClemenGold will underline its growing focus on China with mandarin programmes from South Africa.
Meanwhile, Hort Innovation Australia will promote ‘Taste Australia’ – the new premium identity for the country’s horticulture exports. The unified positioning incorporates a combination of Australia Fresh – an industry trade show assistance, education and networking programme – and Now! In Season, a retail marketing programme.
Virtual Market Place
Visitors can browse the exhibitors, and their products and services, at the Virtual Market Place, the official online catalogue. They can use the search engine to make direct contact with exhibiting companies and schedule meetings in advance: https://www.virtualmarket.asiafruitlogistica.com/en
Information opportunities abound
Besides taking advantage of the wealth of business opportunities at Asia Fruit Logistica, visitors can take part in an information-packed programme of events.
It all gets underway with Asiafruit Congress, Asia’s premier fresh produce conference event. Taking place the day before Asia Fruit Logistica on 5 September, Asiafruit Congress is the curtain raiser to the trade show. Delegates get to hear expert speakers explain the latest market trends and opportunities. They can also network with close to 400 high-level industry professionals. For full programme details, including speaker profiles, visit the website: www.asiafruitcongress.com
Hall Forums
On the show-floor at Asia Fruit Logistica, visitors can take part in two Hall Forums this year.
Asiafruit Business Forum – Hall Forum One – offers daily workshops with practical ideas and solutions for better fresh produce marketing. Packaging is the focus for Day One. Unitec’s Luca Montanari and Stepac’s Gary Ward will discuss the role of packaging for preservation, while Gilad Sadan of NAVI Global, and Austin Mortimer of Rockit Apples will illustrate its powers as a marketing tool.
Day Two of the Asiafruit Business Forum turns the spotlight on marketing. Ray Johnson of Agricultural Appointments Australia and Alice Wang of Chinese agriculture giant Haisheng will explain how they recruit fresh talent and market a career in fresh produce. In a session on niche marketing, Monica Bratuti of Turners Global Marketing will explain the innovative work her company has been doing to develop exports of non-traditional products to new markets.
Production and trade are the focus for Day Three, with sessions looking at ‘What’s new in varietal development?’ and ‘Harmonising QA standards for broader market access’.
Hall Forum Two turns the spotlight on the worlds of hi-tech and logistics. Each morning, Smart Horticulture Asia – the forum for information management, standards and technology – will explore data management at different stages of the supply chain.
Allison Kopf, CEO and founder of New York-based Agrilyst, dubbed the 'Google Analytics for Urban Farms', will discuss her vision for data-driven horticulture. Tony Newling of Microsoft Singapore will explain how the digital world brings new opportunities for farmers to forge a direct connection to their customers. And Jörg Werner of Rijk Zwaan will share the first results of the group’s initiative to develop a retail centre in Berlin where the behaviour of live consumers is monitored.
Each afternoon, Cool Logistics Asia offers a new series of practical workshops on cold-chain management. The wide-ranging programme looks at the future of container shipping, perishable logistics for beginners and exporting to Asia by air. Speakers include Jonathan Beard, head of transportation and logistics for Asia at Arcadis; Raul Saca, global head of reefer for bananas and pineapple cargo at Maersk (USA); Andy Connell of A-Bar-C Services; and Oliver Huesmann of Fruit Consulting.
