ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA made an impressive return to Hong Kong, with increased visitor numbers and encouraging business meetings and results for exhibitors at the sold-out show from 6 to 8 September 2023.
Despite the fact that the worst storm to hit Hong Kong in 150 years prevented ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA from opening on the third day, the first two days of Asia’s leading fresh produce trade fair were exceptionally busy. The atmosphere on site was remarkably vibrant and many exhibitors reported back-to-back meetings.
More than 13,000 professional visitors from more than 70 countries and regions They came to Hong Kong to make the most of the opportunities to meet and do business with more than 700 exhibitors from around 43 countries or regions at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA this year. China was the largest exhibiting country with around 250 exhibitors, followed by Australia, the USA, Egypt and New Zealand.
The event also saw record attendance. The number of visitors on days one and two combined exceeded the final number of visitors from the 2019 edition, which took place in Hong Kong before the pandemic.
ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA was unable to open on its last day, Friday 8 September, due to an extreme weather warning issued by the Hong Kong Observatory. Local authorities in Hong Kong had issued a black storm warning which remained in effect for more than 12 hours after the city was unexpectedly hit by massive storms on Thursday evening. The heavy rains caused significant road flooding and traffic disruptions across the city.
“We are delighted to have held such a successful edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA despite the forced closure of the fair,” said David Axiotis, managing director of Global Produce Events, the organizer of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. “The attendance at the show during the first two days was outstanding. The feedback from our exhibitors and visitors has been very positive, and we thank them all for their support and participation. It was not an easy decision to cancel the last day of the show, but the safety of our attendees is always our top priority.”
The results of the visitor survey reflected the success of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA this year: the 97% of visitors They confirmed that they were satisfied with their participation and would recommend their colleagues or partners to participate next year.
The results of the survey of exhibitors also confirm the good commercial results of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. Almost 100,000 exhibitors 90% of the exhibitors were positive about the quality of the trade visitors and the 94% of these expressed a good or very good impression of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2023.
Leading Chinese fruit distributor Hongjiu Fruit also made its debut at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA 2023, becoming the first official fresh fruit partner of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.
“We regard ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA as a key international platform for in-depth communication and cooperation with suppliers, customers and industry peers on a global level,” said Deng Hongjiu, president and founder of Hongjiu Fruit. “We had large display areas for cherries, durian and longan at our booth and showcased our core brands such as Thai Yummy, Yopretty and Fengshanghao, which have a reputation for delivering quality fruit products nationwide through multiple channels.”
Asia Fruit Congress: high-quality information
In addition to the wealth of meeting and business opportunities at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, visitors and exhibitors gained top-quality information and insights through a comprehensive event programme on two stages at the trade fair.
ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS, Asia’s leading fresh produce business conference, took place on the main stage of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, with high-profile exhibitors providing expert insights on key changes and opportunities in the rapidly evolving Asian markets.
Sessions on the first day (6 September) were themed Marketing and Consumers. HSBC’s Prerna Garg set the scene with an analysis of Asia’s changing demographics, while Chris Baker from digital and branding agency Totem Media provided an overview of the changing marketing landscape across the region.
In a session called “What’s next for food retail?”, Edwin Sun from NIQ (formerly NielsenIQ) explained how inflation, convenience and sustainability are shaping the market. Julian Smith from Rockit Global and Konna Mu from Fresh Go (Joy Wing Mau) also discussed the keys to innovative fresh produce marketing in Asia, drawing on experience from their respective campaigns.
The second day of the Asiafruit Congress (7 September) focused on technology and innovation. Elad Mardix from Clarifruit and Gary Loh from DiMuto presented case studies demonstrating how artificial intelligence is bringing new solutions to the fresh produce trade. Focusing on technology in production, T&G Global CEO Gareth Edgecombe explained how the leading apple grower, packer and marketer is integrating technology into every step of the supply chain and automating key processes. The day was rounded off with a lively panel discussion on varietal innovation featuring Hannes Tauber from VOG, Marie-Anne de Béjarry from SNFL and George Jessett from Costa Group.
AsiaFruit Business Forum: practical conclusions
Visitors and exhibitors were also able to join a programme with various practical workshops and information sessions at ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS FORUM.
On the first day (6 September) at Launchpad, ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA exhibitors showcased a range of new products, technologies and solutions. Presenters included Hans Liekens from Sekoya Fruit, Duncan Aust from AgroFresh, Ting Yuan from Shenzhen Asia Global, Basilio Huang from Lytone Enterprise and Ken Melban and Terry Splane from the California Avocado Commission.
The second day (7 September) featured partner content. The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) delivered an educational programme on food safety and retail marketing in the morning. In the afternoon, Asiafruit China hosted a series of sessions in Chinese offering practical tips on developing a premium domestic fruit brand in China, from production to post-harvest and marketing.
AsiaFruit Awards: announcement of winners
The winners of the ASIA FRUIT AWARDS 2023 were also announced during the gathering, at a special presentation ceremony at the ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS on 7 September.
Rockit Global, a marketer of snack-sized apples, won Marketing Campaign of the Year for its collaboration with Pokémon on an extensive omnichannel campaign in China to celebrate Children’s Day.
Taiwan-based fruit importer United Produce Company took home the Importer of the Year award.
The Produce Retailer of the Year award went to Vietnamese food retailer WinCommerce, which operates the WinMart supermarket and WinMart+ mini-market chains.
The Impact Award was presented to Tatsuo Horiuchi, President and CEO of Farmind Corporation, in recognition of his track record of innovation in multiple areas of Japan’s fresh produce business throughout his 40-year career.
ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA's return to Hong Kong was marked by its status as the leading international platform for Asia's fresh fruit and vegetable industry. “It's fantastic to be back in Hong Kong, right in the heart of Asia and on the doorstep of China”, Axiotis said. “The huge success of this year’s event only underlines our commitment to continue growing and developing this leading, efficient and high-quality trading platform for the Asian fresh produce business.”
Asia Fruit Logistica and AsiaFruit Congress return to Hong Kong next year, to be held from 4 to 6 September 2024 at AsiaWorld-Expo.
What did attendees say?
Visitors:
Lu Minh Quang, Import Director, Biovegi (Vietnam)
“I really enjoy coming to ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA because I can meet everyone here – all our suppliers, exporters and partners. It is also a great place to meet potential new business.”
Xiongjie Liu, general manager of Shanghai Huizhan Market, China
“ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is the most important platform for the fruit and vegetable industry in Asia. This is also the first large-scale international exhibition for the sector after three years of pandemic. We are delighted to meet new and old friends from all over the world at the fair.”
Celia Wang, fruit buyer, Freshippo (China)
“ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is an amazing platform that brings together virtually all of our key suppliers in one place so we can connect within a few days. We talk about last season and plan the next one, solving everything in one meeting. It’s very efficient!”
Reena Verma, CEO, NexGen Fresh (India)
“ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA has been, as always, an amazing experience. The opportunity to have meetings with existing and potential suppliers from all origins under one roof is what really sets this event apart. For India, it looks like the import season will start early this year, so the timing of the show is also perfect.”
Exhibitors:
Cici Yang, Marketing Director, Pagoda (China)
“This year’s ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is unprecedented in terms of its scale. Not only is there a larger turnout, but exhibitors have also put a lot of effort and investment into preparing their stands, and the presentation is excellent. Judging by the level of engagement of everyone and the volume of participants across the show, we can see that the global industry is eager to learn more about the Chinese and Asian markets, and there is great optimism for the future.”
Nico van Vliet, Bayer Vegetable Seeds (Singapore)
“This is our first time exhibiting at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA. Many visitors see the Bayer brand and want to come to our booth to talk with us.”
Janine Luten, CEO of Holland Fresh Group (Netherlands)
“We enjoyed being here at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA in Hong Kong. Many people visit our stand and that is why we exhibit here.”
Terry Splane, Vice President of Marketing, California Avocado Commission (USA)
“This is my first time here. ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is extremely professional and very well organised. The colours on the show floor and the energy levels are very good. Since day one we have already had some really good meetings.”
Reece van der Velden, CEO, New Zealand Cherry Corp (New Zealand)
“ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s return to Hong Kong is a reminder of what it was like before Covid. As expected, it has been busy with high-quality customer attendance to ensure that the allocated volume for this upcoming Lunar New Year is confirmed.”
Shaimaa ElShafei, Logistics Manager, MEAD (Middle East Agricultural Development) (Egypt)
“We really like ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA: Hong Kong is a beautiful city and the exhibition is nice and well organised. We are looking to find buyers here to have some opportunities in the Asian market.”
Ping Zhang, CEO, Three Gorges Citrus Group (China)
“This is our first time exhibiting at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, as our company was established in 2021. I am very pleased to see so many visitors and exhibitors here, and we can easily and efficiently connect with our customers. We are considering having a larger booth next year.”
Renata Dalton, Global Business Development Director, US Highbush Blueberry Council (USA)
“This has been a show worth attending and an opportunity to bring together our international teams to strategize on how to further develop the market for our fruit.”
Pham Lan Huong, CEO, Fosacha (Vietnam)
“Exhibiting at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is a great opportunity to grow our business. We have been able to connect our growers with customers and use the event to expand our own sourcing and markets.”
Marc Peyres, Global Sales Director, Blue Whale (France)
“We are happy to be at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA and to be back here in Hong Kong. It is a place we have been visiting for the last 30 years and we like the city. And if we are coming back, it also means that the last crisis is over, which is good news for everyone.”
About Asia Fruit Logistica
ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is the leading continental trade fair for the fresh produce business in Asia. The 17th edition of ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA will be held from 4 to 6 September 2024 at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong. ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA is co-located with ASIAFRUIT CONGRESS and ASIAFRUIT BUSINESS FORUM, organised by ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA's knowledge partner Asiafruit Magazine.
For more information about ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, visit www.asiafruitlogistica.com or you can contact the organizing team via email: [email protected]
