Hong Kong/Berlin – With five weeks to go before ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA opens its doors in Hong Kong, the sell-out show is gearing up to offer its best-ever mix of business, networking and information opportunities.
Exhibition space has already sold out for the trade fair, which takes place at AsiaWorld-Expo from 7-9 September 2016, with bookings up by almost 20 per cent on last year’s event.
Some 644 exhibitors from 37 different countries will showcase their products and services at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2016, which will feature 23 national pavilions.
Well over 9,000 high-level buyers and trade visitors are expected to converge on Hong Kong for this tenth anniversary edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, and they will find a remarkable array of products and services on show spanning the entire supply chain.
Visitors can search exhibitors’ products and services and make appointments via ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s Virtual Marketplace, the event’s own networking tool: www.virtualmarket.asiafruitlogistica.com/en.
An in-depth exhibitor preview also features in the bumper July/August issue of Asiafruit Magazine.
The exhibition is the core of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s Business Week, which features a rich programme of conference events running from Tuesday to Friday.
ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS: Get in early
It all kicks off with the ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, Asia’s premier fresh produce conference, which takes place on 6 September, the day before ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA opens its doors. Boston Consulting Group’s Youchi Kuo will keynote the opening session, sharing her expert insights on the evolution of China’s consumer market. She’ll be joined in a panel discussion on the future of the Chinese market by Liu Mau Wah, co-chairman of Joy Wing Mau; Neil Maffey, chief merchandise officer of Sam’s Club China; and Ray He, general manager of Tmall Fresh, part of China’s largest online retailer Alibaba Group. Organised by Asiafruit Magazine, Asiafruit Congress explores the latest trends and opportunities across the Asian region, from Myanmar, ASEAN’s last untapped market, to Japan, a highly developed, complex and changing market.
ASIA FRUIT AWARDS: Celebrating excellence
ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS also hosts the presentation of the ASIA FRUIT AWARDS, the unique pan-Asian awards to celebrate excellence in Asia’s fresh fruit and vegetable business. Who will win the 2016 ASIA FRUIT AWARDS for ‘Marketing Campaign of the Year’, ‘Importer of the Year’ and ‘Produce Retailer of the Year’? Find out at the ASIA FRUIT AWARDS ceremony, held before the Networking Lunch at ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS.
ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS concludes on the evening of 6 September with the joint Welcome Reception to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA – the gala cocktail and networking event and a key opportunity to network with the movers and shakers in the business.
COOL movers
Returning for its second edition on 7 September is COOL LOGISTICS ASIA, a focused one-day conference providing unique insights into the latest trends in Asian perishable supply chains. The explosion of e-commerce in Asia requires smaller-sized fresh produce deliveries. At the same time, container lines are forming giant new alliances and launching ever-bigger ships to drive down operating costs. How to square the circle between these trends will be a key topic of discussion at the conference, which will be addressed by expert speakers including Li Haloun, senior planner for fresh products at Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com; Simon Pearson, the former Asda UK supply chain executive now involved in setting up a global food logistics network in China; Isabella Hu of Cosco Container Lines’ global sales division and Steve Alaerts from Foodcareplus.
SMART solutions
SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA, the new fresh produce technology conference, launches on 8 September. Speakers from five different continents will address the conference, which will explore how disruptive technologies such as big data and drones can benefit the fresh produce business. Speakers include 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
These three strategic information and networking information 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.
Technology is the focus for Day One. Ken Moynihan of Compac and Luca Montanari of Unitec – two leaders in their field – discuss ‘The next generation packhouse’ in the opening session.
Day Two turns the spotlight on marketing, and NAVI Co’s Gilad Sadan and Rita Biserni of Netpack/Sorma share their insights on how suppliers and retailers can use packaging more effectively in the session ‘Persuasive packaging’.
The best access
Visitors can make the most of their business week in Hong Kong by purchasing a ‘Perishable Week’ pass, which includes delegate entry to ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, COOL LOGISTICS ASIA and SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA as well as a three-day pass to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA and the Welcome Reception on 6 September.
Alternatively, delegates can tailor their own access pass choosing between ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, COOL LOGISTICS ASIA and SMART HORTICULTURE ASIA. Each of these delegate passes includes a three-day ticket to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA and the Welcome Reception.
Other ticket options are also available, including three-day and one-day visitors passes for ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.
For visitor enquiries on ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, please contact:
Claudia Bach by email: info@gp-events.com, telephone: + 49 30 3038 2373 or visit www.asiafruitlogistica.com.
Source: ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA
