Meet the thought leaders at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre

Sun World CEO David Marguleas, Fresh Del Monte COO Mohammed Abbas, and Driscoll’s Asia-Pacific VP and GM Jae Chun are just some of the big names lined up to speak at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre, the brand-new content hub at Asia Fruit Logistica.

Powered by Asiafruit Magazine – Asia Fruit Logistica’s exclusive Knowledge Partner – Asiafruit Knowledge Centre brings together Asiafruit Congress, Asiafruit Business Forum and Asiafruit Showcase in one central location on the show floor.

Asiafruit Congress, Asia’s premier fresh produce business conference, takes place on the main stage. Thought leaders and senior executives provide strategic insights on the fast-changing Asia market through a compelling mix of keynote interviews and panel discussions.

Asiafruit Business Forum runs alongside Asiafruit Congress with a programme of practical workshops. Specialist partners present case studies for business success in Asia, sharing best practice and applicable solutions.

Asiafruit Showcase is the stage for Asia Fruit Logistica exhibitors to present the newest technologies, products and solutions. Exhibitors can book their presentation slot at the ready-to-speak forum.

Contact Jennifer Zhang at Fruitnet for more details: jennifer@fruitnet.com.

Every day of Asiafruit Congress and Asiafruit Business Forum is themed. Day One (4 September) focuses on Consumers & Markets, Day Two (5 September) on Tech & Innovation, and Day Three (6 September) on Logistics & Trade.

Day One: Consumers & Markets

Branding comes into sharp focus at Asiafruit Congress on Day One.

Louise Beard, director of consumer insights consultancy Forward Insight, and Philip Turnbull, group CEO of Twenty Degrees, discuss the intersection of intellectual property varieties and branding in fresh produce. They explain how the traits of a variety can be strategically positioned and marketed to consumers through effective branding. Plus, they look at how marketers can tailor marketing and messaging to build cultural acceptance for their brands.

Asia’s berry business is taking off, driven by booming production in China and new planting projects across the region. Driscoll’s Asia-Pacific VP and GM Jae Chun is joined by Haygrove Asia MD Michael Oates and Fall Creek China GM Henk Vaandrager to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape, and what the future holds for berries in Asia.

Vietnam is one of Asia’s most exciting emerging markets for global fresh produce suppliers. An expert panel featuring Hai Xuan Nguyen, CEO of high-end fruit retailer, Klever Fruit, and Angel Mompo, Vietnam sales director of Fresh Fruit-X, analyses the key trends and opportunities in this fast-moving market.

At Asiafruit Business Forum, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) presents a series of educational workshops focused on fresh produce marketing and merchandising on the afternoon of Day One. IFPA shares examples of best-in-class marketing from North America and Europe, and it compares and contrasts these with case studies of leading-edge marketing in Asia.

Day Two: Tech & Innovation

The Tech & Innovation Day at Asiafruit Congress kicks off with a high-powered panel discussion on ‘What’s next in varietal innovation?’ Akshat Medakker of Dutch crop innovation company KeyGene discusses the groundbreaking influence of Crispr technology on breeding new varieties. A panel of top breeders and marketers then looks how new varieties are reshaping key fresh fruit categories. Speakers include David Marguleas, CEO of Sun World International, Mohammed Abbas, COO of Fresh Del Monte, and Fiachra Moloney, CMO of Bloom Fresh.

Artificial intelligence is making waves throughout the fresh produce supply chain, from robotic harvesting through optical grading to data-driven consumer marketing. Yoav Yichie of Aerobotics, Paul Slupecki, head of Tomra Food APAC, and John Gray, CEO of Angus Soft Fruits, share their first-hand insights on how to harness its potential.

Asiafruit Business Forum takes a practical perspective on breeding and commercialising new varieties. Carlo Magni, director of Forward Insight, looks at the critical role of sensory research in identifying winning varieties, while Prevar CEO Tony Martin leads a session on commercialising premium apple and pear cultivars.

Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) offers several advantages for producers across Asia, boosting yields, lowering water usage and enabling consistent supply of residue-free products. Tom Stenzel, executive director of the CEA Alliance, hosts a special session exploring the opportunities and challenges for CEA in Asia, from vertical farms to greenhouse systems. 

Day Three: Logistics & Trade

New infrastructure investments are changing China’s fresh produce distribution landscape – and Day Three of Asiafruit Congress opens with a look at some groundbreaking developments. Justin Chan, CEO of VX Cold Chain, explains the logistics company’s efforts to develop a next-generation fresh produce supply chain with its Fresh Hub facility. Joining him to discuss the rapidly evolving landscape is Rahul Bagde, Zespri’s VP of supply chain for Greater China, and Iván Marambio, president of Chile’s fresh fruit exporters’ association, Frutas de Chile.

Egypt and Morocco are in the spotlight as fast-emerging suppliers on Day Three of Asiafruit Congress in a session hosted by economist Andriy Yarmak (FAO Investment Centre). El Mehdi El Alami of Morocco Foodex and Hajer Magdy of the Food and Agriculture Organization outline Morocco and Egypt’s respective fresh produce offerings. Hesham El-Neggar of Daltex and El Honsali Idriss of Morocco Foodex then delve deeper to discuss the market opportunities and challenges facing both suppliers in Asia, and they highlight some exciting new products on offer.

Asiafruit Business Forum kicks off with a focus on ‘Building the fresh produce supply chain of the future’. Steve Alaerts, director of market access and logistics specialist Foodcareplus, explains how greater collaboration between logistics service providers and shipping lines can benefit everyone in the supply chain.

Expert talks also provide practical takeaways on logistics innovation. StePac’s Ivo Tunchel shares expert insights on how post-harvest technologies can extend the reach of products and help to open new markets. He also discusses the development of automated solutions for bulk packing of blueberries and cherries.

Turning the focus to cold chain technology, DeltaTrak’s Karl McDermott outlines some of the key advances helping to maximise shelf-life and boost operational efficiencies. He looks at a range of innovative solutions, from real-time monitoring to modified atmosphere technologies.

All sessions at Asiafruit Knowledge Centre include simultaneous English-Chinese translation. Each day of Asiafruit Business Forum also features special Chinese-language sessions hosted by Asiafruit China.

Asia Fruit Awards: celebrating excellence

Asiafruit Knowledge Centre also hosts the presentation of the Asia Fruit Awards. The premier annual awards celebrating excellence in Asia’s fresh produce business are presented at Asiafruit Congress on Day Two.

The Asia Fruit Awards are given in four categories – Marketing Campaign of the Year, Importer of the Year, Produce Retailer of the Year, and the Impact Award.

Watch the winners of these prestigious accolades announced at 14:00 on Day Two (5 September) at Asiafruit Congress – and be there to congratulate them!

Buy your tickets now and beat the queues

Asia Fruit Logistica visitors and exhibitors enjoy full access to Asiafruit Knowledge Centre. Purchase your tickets to Asia Fruit Logistica online now to save up to 40 per cent on the onsite rate. Buy your tickets at the online ticket shop.

For more information on Asiafruit Knowledge Centre, including sponsorship opportunities and programme updates, visit the website.