[ EVENTS ]

Thaifex – World of Food Asia 2013 in Bangkok is aiming at 27,000 visitors this year, a 10% increase compared with last year.

are among the countries in East Asia where economic growth is creating a middle class that is an increasingly attractive market for producers of packaged foods.

Technical conferences on food safety, packaging, and refrigeration Apart from the launch of the seafood show there will also be a contest for chefs making Thai food and another to identify the best Asian coffee bean. Visitors and exhibitors will also be able to participate in more technical events to get the latest information on food safety, packaging, and refrigeration from leading European, Asian, and American experts. The food safety conference aims at exploring methodologies and strategies such as effective collaboration with suppliers 22

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for complete food safety and customer confidence. Presentations from Arla Foods, Burton’s Biscuit, and the Australian Institute of Packaging among others will inform audiences about innovative forms of packaging that contribute to lower emissions and reduced food waste. The latter is estimated at USD1 trillion annually by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and United Nations Environment Programme, which earlier this year launched a campaign to reduce it. For companies interested in learning how to preserve and extend the shelf life of chilled and frozen products, the Cold Chain World seminar will have a lot to offer in terms of information, ideas, and industry trends. The fair is aiming at a 10 increase in area to 60,000 sq. m this year as well as 27,000 visitors

over the five days of the event, also a 10 increase compared with last year. The fair is expected to be particularly useful for Asian food importers, wholesalers, distributors and hotel and restaurant professionals.

Country pavilions from Asia and Europe While many of the country pavilions are from Asia there will also be a European presence in the form of a country group from Italy represented by a collaboration between Koelnmesse and Federalimentare (the Italian Food & Drink Industry Federation) which will be next to Fiere di Parma bringing 50 Italian companies and their well-known brands. Turkey will also be present with delegations from the Turkish Confectionary & Sweet Promotion Group and Turkish Flour,

Yeast and Ingredients Promotion Group. Other new country groupings include the Brazilian Embassy, Korea Fishery Trade Association, and the Taiwan Frozen Food Processors’ Association. After their experience at last year’s event China, Cambodia, Japan, Korea and Singapore will be back again this year with national pavilions. The eighty Korean companies will be housed in almost 900 sq. m of space and the majority of them are new to the Asian market. Korea is putting more resources into the show this year as it considers the event an important launching point into the rest of Asia. For more information contact: Sharon Teo Tel.: +65 6500 6732 s.teo@koelnmesse.com.sg www.worldoffoodasia.com www.eurofishmagazine.com

03/04/13 8:29 PM