Influential Asian seafood event returns to Hong Kong for 8th time

This year's Seafood Expo Asia will feature new country pavilions and a redesigned product showcase to show off the best of seafood products, services and equipment from around the world.

The trade event, produced by Diversified Communications, builds on last year's success. In 2016, Seafood Expo Asia attracted more than 8,800 seafood professionals from 69 countries. Newcomers for 2017 include international pavilions from South Korea and China joining new exhibiting countries like the Maldives.

Seafood Expo Asia attendees will have the opportunity to participate in the new and enhanced conference programme covering topics such as Internet of Things (IoT) applications in the seafood industry, traceability and authentication, consumer trends, aquaculture, and a workshop on sustainability and certification. 

The Seafood Expo Asia Product Showcase will be presented in a new market-style setting this year to provide exhibitors from around the world with an effective way to introduce their brands to the market and buyers to new purchasing ideas.

According to the World Bank, the Asia Pacific region will account for 70% of global fish consumption by 2030. "With consumer demand for seafood at a record high, international buyers and decision makers representing retailers, supermarkets, importers, hotels, restaurants, chefs, catering services, wholesalers and distributors will gain valuable insight into new product innovations, best practices and emerging trends affecting the industry in the Asian market," says Event Director Iris Kwan.

"Forming relationships with customers in this part of the world is vital for global seafood producers and suppliers when one considers that seafood consumption is projected for considerable growth across the entire region."

Registered buyers attending the event include Aeon Big (Malaysia), Aeon Stores (Hong Kong), City Super (Hong Kong), Colruyt Group (Hong Kong), ITM Alimentaires International (Thailand), Metro Food Sourcing APAC (Hong Kong), MGM Macau, ParknShop (Hong Kong), Sodexo Service Asia (Singapore), Tesco Stores (Malaysia), and Walmart China.

Interested?

Seafood Expo Asia returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from September 5-7, 2017.

Watch the video about the benefits of exhibiting at Seafood Expo Asia

posted from Bloggeroid

Event organiser of Seafood Expo Asia warns of scammers pretending to be associated with its shows

Source: Seafood Expo Asia website.

Organisers of Seafood Expo Asia are warning potential exhibitors of scammers approaching them for various exhibition-related projects such as paid directory listings. Victims may be locked into an automatically-renewed three-year contract for US$1,700 or more annually, they said.

Diversified Business Communications said that companies may claim to be associated with its events, which include Seafood Expo Asia and SPAR Japan, and offer to list an exhibitor in an exhibitor directory or a business guide, for example FAIRGuide, Expo-Guide, Construct Data Verlag, World Business Directory or World Business Guide. Other services may include travel arrangements and hotel rooms. 

The companies behind such projects are not associated in any fashion with Diversified Business Communications or any of our trade show events, the event organiser said online, providing an example of what the fraudulent solicitation can look like. "If you have participated in any of our exhibitions in previous years, or are due to participate in any of our events this year you are likely to be targeted," Diversified Business Communications stated on a web page warning of the scams. "Most of these companies are not official vendors for the expo and some are from non-existent companies."

The company went on to recommend contacts for unsolicited communications from possible scammers for US and EU businesses, but did not list any organisations for the Asia Pacific region. In cases such as these making a police report or going to a cyber security government agency within the country would be likely avenues to pursue.

Seafood Expo Asia, formerly the Asian Seafood Exposition, will return to Hong Kong from 6 to 8 September 2016. Over three days, seafood buyers can connect with exhibitors offering a variety of live, fresh, frozen and value-added seafood products and seafood-related services and equipment.

Interested?

Register

Refer to the official list of vendors for Seafood Expo Asia 

Check with Diversified Business Communications' customer service department about unofficial vendors at: +1 207 842 5504 or email customerservice at divcom.com.

Read the Suroor Asia blog post about a possible scam event site

APAC leads the global market for fish and seafood

Technavio estimates that the global fish and seafood market will grow at a CAGR of 4% between 2016 and 2020, and valued at US$260 billion by 2020. One of the major factors leading to the rise of the fish and seafood market is the increasing demand for processed seafood, Technavio said. 

The Asia Pacific region leads the global market for fish and seafood, accounting for 40% of the overall market share. The primary growth factors in this region 

is the rise in population plus a large number of people who consume fish. Countries like China, India, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Bangladesh, Singapore, and Malaysia are the key contributors here. 

“Aquaculture is the fastest-growing food production process worldwide. It has surpassed commercial fishing as well as various other food-sourcing methods, thanks to improved logistics and the growth of the retail sector. Vendors are constantly coming up with new species to decrease the dependency on imports and maintain balance on over-exploited fisheries,” says Vijay Sarathi, Lead Analyst, Food & Beverages, Technavio Research.

The fresh and chilled fish and seafood segment dominated the market in 2015 in terms of revenue. Growing health consciousness, increased demand for quality food, and changing demographics are the main factors fuelling the growth of this segment, Technavio said.

The leading vendors in the global fish and seafood market include High Liner Foods, Iglo Group, Leroy, Marine Harvest, and Thai Union Frozen Products. With the existence of intense competition in the global fish and seafood market, vendors are reducing their prices and actively acquiring smaller entities to enhance their footprint in the market. The inflow of private labels - companies whose products are labelled with their customers' brands - is on the rise, making competition fiercer.

Interested?

Buy the Global Fish and Seafood Market 2016-2020 report. 

Seafood galore at AquaMarine

Source: Meritus Hotels & Resorts.

Savour Asian delights including Vietnamese Braised Fish in Clay Pot, Thai Curry Mud Crab, authentic Beef Adobo from Philippines, fresh Cambodia Fish Curry, and more at the AquaMarine buffet restaurant at level 4 of the Marina Mandarin Singapore. Till October 29, AquaMarine has a focus on seafood.

AquaMarine offers a diversified buffet spread of Asian and International cuisines on top of a wide seafood selection. A newly renovated dining area - Terrace@AquaMarine with clear glass panels offers a complete view to the natural skyline, along with the option of private dining areas. The restaurant has received halal certification for all its food stations from the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (MUIS).

Interested?

Prices* are:

Daily Buffet Lunch
S$60++ per adult/S$30++ per child (5-12 years old)

Weekday Buffet Dinner (Sundays to Thursdays)
S$70++ per adult/S$35++ per child (5-12 years old)

Weekend Buffet Dinner (Fridays, Saturdays and eves of public holiday)
S$80++ per adult/S$40++ per child (5-12 years old)

Make reservations and enquiries 

*Prices are subjected to prevailing government taxes and service charge.

posted from Bloggeroid

Food Ingredients Asia 2015 includes a focus on seafood

UBM Asia Thailand is preparing to organise Food ingredients Asia 2015, on September 9 to 11, 2015 at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC). In celebration of the 20th Fi Asia Edition, UBM Asia Thailand is joining hands with public and private agencies to organise activities to support Thai enterprises. The company expects over 25% growth, targeting a 1,000 million baht turnover in the food industry and identifying rising food trends.

Seafood was highlighted as one of the bright spots for the food industry at the opening ceremony. Dr Nantiya Unprasert, an advisor to the Thai Frozen Foods Association, reveals that the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has a policy to support and prepare Thailand to become an ASEAN Seafood Hub.

"With its constantly developing fishing industry, Thailand has exported fishery products for a long time, as its geographical advantages and fertile resources are perfect for fishing. The kingdom's total export value of frozen shrimp, squid and tuna around the world accounts for more than 3 trillion baht, making these product categories among the country's highest income-generating agricultural products, " she said.

Thai entrepreneurs are specialised in food processing and internationally recognised, she added. "In order to push Thailand to become an ASEAN Seafood Hub and increase its export volume, entrepreneurs need to acquire knowledge of food ingredients and food additives, as each importing country has different regulations. Therefore, they should strictly abide by those regulations and use them to create opportunities and satisfaction," she said.

An international halal food seminar by the National Food Institute will also be held as part of the event.

Interested?

See the full list of activities

posted from Bloggeroid

Neo Group to acquire 55% stake In parent company of DoDo seafood products

Source: Neo Group. From left: Neo Kah Kiat, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Neo Group, Lim Boon Chay, Chairman and Managing Director of Thong Siek Food Industry.

Neo Group (梁苑集团有限公司), which has catering subsidiaries including the halal Orange Clove, restaurant chains, and a gift subsidiary, has made its first major acquisition since its listing in line with the Group’s value proposition as a fully-integrated catering solutions provider. The acquisition of Thong Siek (TS) Holdings, whose Dodo subsidiary produces halal food products, is synergistic with its core businesses, providing a vertical integration process enabling the Group to expand into manufacturing and reap economies of scale, Neo Group said.

The S$7.35 million proposed acquisition is of a 55% equity stake in TS Holdings, a major manufacturer, distributor and retailer of surimi-based seafood products such as the DoDo brand of fish balls, crabsticks and other surimi-based products through two production facilities operating in Senoko, Singapore, and Johor Bahru, Malaysia. TS Holdings' products are sold in Singapore and Malaysia, and distributed across 22 countries worldwide including in Asia Pacific and the Middle East. 

The acquisition is part of the Group’s transformation to offer turnkey catering solutions with its comprehensive suite of brands and service offerings within three business pillars – food catering, food retail as well as food and catering supplies – to capture various market segments. Neo Kah Kiat (梁佳吉), Founder, Chairman and CEO of Neo Group, said: “This upstream acquisition is in line with our value proposition as a fully-integrated catering solutions provider, enhancing our supply chain and providing a vertical integration process that will expand our manufacturing business."

“TS Group’s businesses in the manufacture and sale of seafood-based products are complementary to our businesses and offer a good value proposition. We will be able to leverage on TS Group’s expertise in food manufacturing to streamline and further strengthen our new central kitchen’s operations for higher quality consistency while reaping economies of scale and synergies with our core businesses following the integration and streamlining of processes. 

“The acquisition will also allow the Group to create new business-to-consumers income streams, expand our customer base and market segments, while giving us access to a large distribution network across 22 countries globally.” 

Following the acquisition, TS Holdings  intends to deepen its existing footprint in Singapore and Malaysia by intensifying marketing efforts and reaching out to the Malay community through its halal product lines. It also intends to expand into new markets such as Hong Kong. TS Holdings also seeks to revitalise the DoDo brand of frozen foods and introduce a premium line of products to cultivate a new customer segment reaching out to hotels, restaurants and cafes. 

Neo will assume the role of Acting CEO of TS Holdings and Xenn Lim, General Manager, Corporate Services of TS Group, will become Deputy CEO of TSH. 

China Seafood Expo moves to new Qingdao venue

To celebrate its 20th Anniversary, China Fisheries & Seafood Expo, the second-largest seafood exhibition in the world, is moving to the Qingdao International Exhibition Center (QIEC). The event will be held from November 4 to 6, 2015.

Source: Sea Fare Expositions.

Located on Aoshan Bay, about 40 minutes north of downtown, Qingdao International Exhibition Center (QIEC) has ten exhibit halls with the capacity to hold 6,000 booths, making it one of the largest and most modern exhibit halls in China. 

QIEC is the anchor for the new Water City at Aoshan Bay, which is part of a regional economic strategy designed to increase and promote tourism, convention and resort activities in greater Qingdao and Shandong Province. The area has five-star hotels and a championship golf course. Shuttle buses will run from downtown Qingdao to the QIEC and a light rail from downtown Qingdao is scheduled to be completed in 2016.

Third World of Seafood expects to be bigger and better in 2015

Source: World of Seafood website.

World of Seafood is marking its third edition at the IMPACT Exhibition and Convention Center in Bangkok, Thailand in 2015. Held in conjuction with THAIFEX-World of Food Asia, World of Coffee & Tea and World of FoodService, the trade fair covers frozen, chilled, fresh, processed, ready-to-eat and dried seafood. 

World of Seafood 2014 saw trade attendees grow to more than 30,000 and the 2015 event will span an expanded area at IMPACT Challenger Hall 1. The event will be held from 20 to 24 May, 2015, with the exhibition open to the public on 23 and 24 May.