With just over a week to go before the tenth anniversary edition of Asia Fruit Logistica opens its doors in Hong Kong, visitors can look forward to the trade show’s best-ever combination of business, networking and information opportunities.
Well over 9,000 high-level buyers and visitors are expected to pour through the doors of AsiaWorld-Expo for Asia Fruit Logistica on 7-9 September. They will find an exhibition that has expanded by some 20 per cent on last year’s event, with more than 650 exhibitors from 37 different countries showcasing their products and services.
“Asia Fruit Logistica will have its largest-ever number of exhibitors and widest range of products on display this year,” said Wilfried Wollbold, commercial director of Asia Fruit Logistica organiser Global Produce Events (GPE). “Preparing for their visit is the best way for visitors to get the most out of the show.”
Asia Fruit Logistica’s own networking tool – the Virtual Marketplace (VMP) – enables visitors to search exhibitors’ products and services and pre-plan meetings, with enhanced features this year.
“Our Virtual Marketplace offers a new feature with an online floorplan to help visitors find customers – the floorplan is also available for download,” explained Sinenart Baramirattanachai, GPE event manager. “Our unique networking tool also gives visitors an additional channel to make business contacts visitor-to-visitor and visitor-to-exhibitor.”
The exhibition is the core of Asia Fruit Logistica’s Business Week, which features a rich educational programme of three conference events this year. “This week-long programme offers visitors excellent insights into a vast variety of markets, the challenges they pose and the great commercial opportunities they offer,” said Wollbold.
Asiafruit Congress: 6 September
Taking place the day before Asia Fruit Logistica at AsiaWorld-Expo, Asiafruit Congress is an unparalleled opportunity to network with more than 400 high-level industry professionals from 40 different countries.
The premier conference event for Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business offers delegates the best access to market insights and opportunities in Asia, and serves as the perfect primer to Asia Fruit Logistica.
Delegates will hear from consumer market experts such as head of Boston Consulting Group’s Centre for China Customer Insight Youchi Kuo; Lyndon Morant, head of North Asia strategy at global media and marketing services company Mindshare, and Jason Copland, general manager of TNS Myanmar. A number of leading retailers are lined up to speak, including Sam’s Club China’s Neil Maffey, John Glover of major Indonesian group Matahari Putra Prima and Yasuhiko China of Aeon Japan. High-profile industry figures will also share their expertise, including Joy Wing Mau’s co-chairman Liu Mau Wah and Zespri CEO Lain Jager.
Asiafruit Congress concludes with the joint Welcome Reception to Asia Fruit Logistica, a gala cocktail and networking event within AsiaWorld-Expo on the evening of 6 September.
Cool Logistics Asia: 7 September
Returning for its second edition on 7 September, Cool Logistics Asia is a focused one-day conference providing unique insights into the latest trends in Asian perishable supply chains.
A high-powered programme of industry experts will address the conference. Li Haolun, senior planner for fresh products at Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com, will discuss the logistical challenges of temperature-controlled distribution in the People’s Republic. He will be joined on stage by Simon Pearson, the former Asda UK supply chain executive, who is now involved in setting up a new global food logistics network in China. Elsewhere, Ole Schack Petersen, SVP chief strategy officer of LCL, will chair a breakout session on perishable product solutions and innovations; Isabella Hu of Cosco Container Lines’ global sales division will speak on perishable shipping and logistics; and Raul Saca, global head of the reefer segment for bananas and pineapple cargo at Maersk, will discuss reefer logistics and the spot market for bananas.
Smart Horticulture Asia: 8 September
Smart Horticulture Asia, the new fresh produce technology conference, launches on 8 September. The conference will explore the impact of disruptive information technology on traditional fresh produce trade practices, crop cultivation and business models.
“With speakers from three continents and various disciplines, we are together in a unique setting at this first Smart Horticulture Asia conference,” said conference chairman Harrij Schmeitz. “We’re looking forward to seeing not only the new innovations brought to us by research and technology firms but also how our industry is taking the opportunities this new technology provides.”
Speakers include Edward Zhu, CEO of Chic Group; Salah Sukkarieh of the Australian Centre for Field Robotics; Julia Charnaya, GM of Priva International Beijing; and Fulco Wijdooge, general manager of Shanghai-based Ridder Agricultural Technology.
Asiafruit Business Forum: 7-9 September
These three strategic information and networking sources are complemented by the Asiafruit Business Forum, which looks at hands-on solutions in the fields of Technology, Marketing and Trade through daily information sessions at Asia Fruit Logistica. Located on the show-floor, the Business Forum features simultaneous translation into Chinese, Japanese and Korean. A full copy of the programme including speaker details can be viewed online at the Asia Fruit Logistica website: http://www.asiafruitlogistica.com/Visitors/Events/BusinessForum/
Asia Fruit Awards: 6 September
The winners of the 2016 Asia Fruit Awards – presented by Asia Fruit Logistica and Asiafruit Magazine to celebrate excellence in Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business – will be announced on 6 September at the Asiafruit Congress. Find out who will win the Asia Fruit Awards for ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’, ‘Importer of the Year’ and ‘Produce Retailer of the Year’ in a special ceremony before the Networking Lunch at Asiafruit Congress.
Statistics Handbook
Asiafruit Magazine also launches its 2016 edition of the Asiafruit Congress Statistics Handbook at Asiafruit Congress and Asia Fruit Logistica. Visitors can pick up a copy of this unique statistical guide to Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable trade, which details the products being bought and sold across 11 different markets.
