"Scan QR Code" in WeChat and tap "..." to share.
Exhibitors’ Quotes
Mazine Lee (left), Connie Lee (right)
Co-founder and CEO, Co-founder and CEO
Elevatefoods Technology, a spinoff startup from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST)
Hong Kong
Division of Integrative Systems and Design of HKUST is showcasing at the Food Expo to promote our food tech innovation to local and international buyers. Our patented smart 3D food printing and multi-level cooking technology has attracted a lot of attention. Buyers from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam have indicated their interest in our 3D food tech device that offers personalised food solutions such as soft food for the elderly and pastry. They are also interested in the herbal drinking solution and sparkling tea tonics being showcased here. Food tech is a fast-growing trend in the industry and the Expo serves as a solid platform to launch our innovation and technology. We are thrilled with the positive response.
Jan Golba
Deputy Director
Organic Farming and Food Quality Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Poland
Our pavilion features a total of 15 food producers from Poland this year showcasing a diversity of exhibits from dairy products and processed fruits to beef and poultry items, sweets, drinks and juices. We have been exhibiting here over the years. This Expo has raised the profile of Polish food industry and enhanced our food companies’ expansion in the Asian market. Our successful showcase also encourages overseas food companies to explore business opportunities in Poland. This year, we have again established contact with many new buyers from different markets including Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Australia, Egypt and UAE. We are pleased with the strong response and look positively ahead to conclude new business development.
Fujimori Hirotaka
Deputy Director General
Department of Tourism, Trade, Flights and International Exchange, Aomori Prefectural Government
Japan
Food Expo PRO is a really international trade fair drawing so many buyers from different parts of the world. Aomori prefecture is making a strong presence here again this year to promote a rich variety of quality food from 14 Aomori food producers. Products include fresh fruits, apple jelly and frozen seafood. We’ve received enquiry from many buyers including those from Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, India, New Zealand and Europe. A Hong Kong trading company is negotiating to purchase apple jelly and apple baumkuchen while an Indian buyer indicated an intent to distribute Aomori apples. The Expo opens up a lot of new business opportunities in Hong Kong and other markets. India is certainly a big market for Aomori food companies to expand business. We are happy with the response.
Tateishi Taishi
Manager
Television Nagasaki Co., Ltd.
Japan
We are showcasing at Food Expo PRO for the first time to promote all kinds of seafood products from Nagasaki of Japan. Buyers’ feedback is strong and better-than-expected. We’ve met with many buyers from Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. They expressed keen interest in various products being showcased by 10 Nagasaki seafood suppliers. We are already in serious talks with some of them. A business matching event is scheduled on the third day of exhibition whereas we anticipate to meet with 50 potential buyers from Hong Kong mainly restaurants and food retailers. We are positive about new business development. The Expo is the largest food event in Asia and Hong Kong’s premier location makes it an excellent place for our companies’ expansion.
Dr. Sadeddine Mneimne
CEO & Founder
AGI Food Trading Services Ltd
United Arab Emirates
AGI is committed to food sustainability and technology to deliver quality products to customers worldwide. Our debut at Food Expo PRO has generated very positive response. Many buyers appreciate our products that are made of natural ingredients without any additives, artificial sweeteners or preservatives. We’ve met with 15 to 20 serious buyers from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, UAE and Egypt on the first day of exhibition. A Hong Kong buyer is looking to purchase our pickled oyster mushroom and hot sauce. Talks are also underway with a Thai buyer for caramelized onion and an UAE buyer for truffle & oyster mushroom seasoning. Orders are each expected to involve one container of goods. The Expo draws high-quality professional buyers and is an excellent place to showcase our sustainable food collections.
Cherry Ding
Founder
Hong Xin Food Sdn Bhd
Malaysia
We are showcasing for the first time at Food Expo PRO this year to promote our plant-based tempeh chips at the Sabah pavilion. Our unique tempeh chips made together with heirloom red rice are gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber and Halal certified. We’ve drummed up a lot of interest at the Expo. Buyers from different places including Hong Kong, Egypt, New Zealand, USA and Kazakhstan have come forward to make enquiry. Orders under negotiation are worth more than US$20,000. This is a fantastic exhibition. The organiser’s business matching initiative has effectively enhanced our network and business development with new buyers.
Gilberto Barranco (right)
Commercial Director
IMAG (Inulina y Miel de Agave, S.A de C.V)
Mexico
IMAG from Jalisco of Mexico produces agave sweeteners, fibers and tequila. We are participating in Food Expo PRO for the second consecutive year and have received stronger response. So far, we’ve already got 10 new leads for business development. A buyer from the Philippines will confirm an order for our agave syrup shortly. Several serious buyers from India, Korea, Malaysia and New Zealand are looking to purchase a selection of agave syrup, fibers and tequila. We are pleased with the results. Hong Kong is a dynamic city to do business and this Expo is the place to facilitate our expansion in the Asian market.
Dr. Krithpaka Boonfueng
Executive Director
National Innovation Agency (NIA)
Thailand
NIA has brought together eight food tech startups from Thailand to showcase at Food Expo PRO this year, promoting a range of 50 products such as rice enriched with vitamin, noodles made of egg white protein, sesame milk with no sugar, vegetable tablets, frozen lime juice and watermelon puree. The feedback has been exceptional. Many buyers including hotels and restaurants from Hong Kong and Mainland China are particularly interested in purchasing our innovative products that cater to the needs of smart living and health-oriented lifestyle. The Expo is a perfect place to showcase our food technology and find new buyers from all over the world. Our companies are very happy with the results.
Mogul Posayapisith
First Executive Vice President
Small and Medium Enterprise Development Bank of Thailand
Thailand
Six food producing SMEs from Thailand have joined us to explore new business opportunities at Food Expo PRO this year. Our showcase includes some Halal-certified food made of natural and organic ingredients. The Halal food market presents huge opportunities and this Expo helps us gain more international exposure. We have generated a lot of interest from buyers. In particular, many buyers from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Japan, Korea and Saudi Arabia are looking to source from our companies for various products such as Thai snacks, rice crackers, brownies, granola and seaweed. Our participating companies are very happy with the feedback here and are positive about concluding business with new customers. This Expo really helps them extend presence in overseas markets.
Panita Shinawatra
Acting Director General
Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion
Thailand
Our office has lined up a total of 10 food producers from Thailand to promote a great variety of tasty Thai-style food and beverage items at Food Expo PRO. We’ve received very strong response in particular from buyers of Hong Kong and Mainland China. Several orders worth more than US$300,000 (10 million baht) have been concluded for different products including snacks and seasoning. We are very pleased with the results, which are 30%-40% better than last year. The organisation is excellent. The EXHIBITION+ platform and the business matching meetings have effectively facilitated business development. We will participate in the Expo again next year.
Dr. Man Ka-mun Carmen
Project Manager
Hong Kong Food Innovation & Technology Hub Limited
Hong Kong
HKTDC has done a great job promoting food technology at Food Expo PRO this year, enhancing overall awareness about the value of food tech for the industry. We focus on food research and development and converting technological knowhow into commercial products. At the Expo, our showcase featuring non-alcoholic beer, vegan eggs, soluble dietary fiber powder and zero sugar syrup has drawn a lot of attention. Several Hong Kong e-commerce businesses and two tea traders have expressed particular interest in the fiber powder. The Expo also enables our connections with food tech exhibitors from Japan, Korea, Thailand and Mainland China to explore cooperation and develop new food tech products. We are pursuing a food tech project with a sweet potato producer in Jiangsu province. I believe HKTDC, with strong mainland connections, may play a role in promoting food technology cooperation between Hong Kong and the mainland. This Expo really offers a solid platform to network and exchange ideas, thus contributing to further development of food innovation.
Antoine Maurer (left)
Manager, Business Development
KK Food Trading Company Limited
Hong Kong
Food Expo PRO has helped KK Food Trading reach out to more international customers paving the way for business expansion. Through the Click2Match platform, we’ve lined up meetings with more than 10 potential buyers prior to the Expo and the face-to-face exchanges proved to be rewarding. Two new buyers from the UK are now in talks with us for various Asian foods including instant noodles and sauces while a Hong Kong company is interested in a selection of German wines on offer. Further negotiation will be conducted to close deals. Orders are expected to involve a full container of foods worth about US$30,000 each. We’ve also established contact with four buyers from India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE looking to purchase our Halal-certified food and beverage products. The Expo’s Halal food and beverage sector really enables buyers to find what they want more efficiently. We would like to see the Expo and the Halal food and beverage sector grow further in scale to support the food industry’s further development.
Buyers’ Quotes
Alvin Pranata
Director
Pt. Dinamik Multi Sukses (DMS)
Indonesia
In business for over 50 years, DMS is an importer and distributor of food and beverage products in Indonesia. This is my first-time visit to the Food Expo PRO to source Halal food items. I’ve met a good mix of Halal food here and already entered into talks with five new suppliers from Japan, Korea and Thailand for different products. I expect to buy dried miso from a Japanese exhibitor, snacks from a Thailand supplier as well as green noodles, topokki and vegetable meals from three Korean companies. Total orders will amount to US$100,000. The Halal food market in Indonesia continues to grow and this Expo offers a good opportunity to find something new and interesting. I will definitely visit the Expo again.
Looi Choy Har
President
Galleon Japan Limited
Japan
Food Expo PRO has a lot on offer this year. I have found more than 15 new suppliers from Japan for a great variety of quality food products from tofu pudding and pepper powder to sparkling sake, tangerine juice, sesame oil, rice crackers, gluten-free noodles and sauces. More than US$7,000 worth of orders were already placed for rice bran oil, hotpot broth and BBQ sauce. Orders under negotiation will be even bigger involving various food items such as tofu pudding from Mie prefecture, tangerine juice from Wakayama, sparkling sake from Nagano, apple jelly from Aomori and shiitake umami powder from Kyushu. We expect to conclude business within a month. The Expo features many food tech and health-oriented products, making it a perfect place to find quality food items.
Du Trieu Nguyen
Chief Operating Officer
TMTM Company
Vietnam
TMTM is a producer of tea, coffee, chocolate and agricultural products in Vietnam. We also import and export frozen food and agricultural products. We are visiting Food Expo PRO for the first time to find new and innovative food items. We've already found two new suppliers from Japan for frozen snow crabs and frozen sweet potatoes, and a Hong Kong supplier for frozen shrimps. Initial orders will be worth more than US$80,000 in total. These new products will be exported to Germany. We are also negotiating with two Hong Kong exhibitors for organic tea and health supplements. Demand for organic and sustainable food is growing strongly and we will source more products in this category. This Expo is full of excitement offering so many interesting food products. We will definitely come again for sourcing and business expansion.
Mihaela Belcheva
Business Development & Marketing Specialist
Bels Ltd.
Bulgaria
Bels Ltd. specialises in the production of frozen food and vegetables catering to the domestic market in Bulgaria. This is our first-time visit to Food Expo PRO to source frozen seafood and vegetables. Our company is expanding into ready meals and this Expo has a lot on offer to support our growth. We’ve met with a number of exhibitors here and expect to conclude business with five to 10 new suppliers from Hong Kong, Korea and Malaysia for frozen seafood and vegetables. The Expo has been well organised and the business matching meetings are very fruitful.
Joseph Leung (left)
Senior Advisor, Business Development
Haichang Ocean Park Holdings Ltd.
Hong Kong
Haichang is developing a large-scaled integrated marine theme park resort in Saudi Arabia and in need of an immense amount of everyday needs including food and various consumables such as 100,000 tonnes of rice and 200,000 tonnes of tea a year. Food Expo PRO serves as a solid platform for us to find new suppliers and source Halal food for our project. We have already got in touch with a Thai exhibitor for quality rice and its products are Halal certified. We are also in talks with a tea exhibitor from Anhui province of Mainland China for a wide range of black tea. Orders are expected to be finalised in three months, each involving up to US$500,000 worth of rice or tea a year. It’s a great initiative to include a Halal food zone at the Expo and we hope to see further expansion in the category to meet the huge market demand worldwide.
Aituganov Erik
Head of Marketing and Commerce Development
Bonfood Distribution
Kazakhstan
Bonfood is the biggest food distributor in Kazakhstan importing and supplying a wide range of products especially frozen food and canned food. Kazakhstan is a Muslim country and I am delighted to find a good mix of Halal food at Food Expo PRO. So far, I’ve identified three new suppliers from Mainland China for frozen seafood and canned food. Initial orders will each involve 20 to 40 tonnes of products. This is a great show. I will visit the Expo again to source more Halal food.
Yap Choi Yen
Senior Manager, Grocery
The Store (Malaysia) Sdn. Bhd.
Malaysia
With a history of 58 years, The Store operates 10 hypermarkets and 32 supermarkets in Malaysia selling all kinds of products. This is my first visit to Food Expo PRO to find new products, especially Halal food. The fair features a great variety of choices. I’ve already found two Thai suppliers for rice crackers and ready-to-eat seaweed, two Mainland China suppliers for instant noodles and corn snacks, and a Korean exhibitor for ready-to-eat topokki. We will place big orders, ranging from US$5,000 to US$10,000 each product. The huge Halal food market offers a great deal of business opportunities. I am delighted to find a specialised Halal food and beverage zone at the Expo.
Leo Ng
Category Head – Merchandising
HKTVmall
Hong Kong
HKTVmall always strives to enrich our product categories to meet the needs of consumers and Food Expo PRO is an excellent place for us to find something new and interesting every year. Our sourcing team has got in touch with more than 20 food exhibitors through the business matching meetings to source different items including snacks, seasoning, drinks and frozen food. The results are encouraging. We’ve found quite a number of new products such as sauce, seasoning, beer and sake showcased by Japanese exhibitor Royal of Japan Ltd., baby food by Korean exhibitor, Ercohs Agricultural Corporation Co., Ltd and avocado oil by Mexican exhibitor Olexo Foods Mexico S.A. De C.V. We are also looking to purchase tangerine juice from another Japanese supplier. The Expo has gathered more suppliers this year offering even more choices. We’re satisfied with what we’ve got here.
Michael Taylor (right)
Marketing and Brand Partnerships Manager
Hutchinsons Limited
New Zealand
In business since 1914, Hutchinsons is a leading food importer, wholesaler and distributor in New Zealand. We supply a wide range of food products to about 400 supermarkets across the country. This is our first visit to Food Expo PRO to find new and innovative food products. We are now in talks with eight suppliers from Korea and four exhibitors from Mainland China for a variety of items from instant noodles to topokki, frozen rice and ready-to-eat meals. We will place big orders after studying further the pricing details and product samples. Each order is expected to involve four containers of goods. We really enjoy visiting the Expo that features a good mix of food products and suppliers. We will definitely visit the fair again.
Jacqueline Leung
Head of UK Business Development
Shoalter Automation (UK) Ltd.
United Kingdom
Shoalter is a sister company of HKTVmall and a UK subsidiary of Hong Kong Technology Venture Company Limited. Our e-tailing business backed by automated retail store operation offers customers a convenient and efficient shopping experience. I have found several new suppliers from Japan and Korea for snacks and ready meals at Food Expo PRO. We will confirm orders within two months and average orders will each involve one container of goods. The business matching meetings have been very useful. It’s so easy to identify suitable suppliers to explore business operation. This is a rewarding visit.
Yonni Suh
Managing Director
Korea Foods
United Kingdom
In business for 25 years, Korea Foods is a food importer, wholesaler and retailer in the United Kingdom. Our company is running more than 20 grocery stores selling different kinds of food items. We have established contact with 10 new suppliers from Hong Kong, Korea and Japan at Food Expo PRO this year. Further talks are underway to study the products and pricing details. We will purchase at least one container of soymilk with a long shelf life from Banrai Trading Consultant Co., Ltd. of Japan and a pallet of soy sauce from Taihei Co., Ltd. of Japan. Negotiation is underway with an Indonesian exhibitor for one container of instant noodles. Total orders will be worth more than US$50,000. We usually replenish stocks and re-order every two to three months. The Expo is well organised, offering a lot of opportunities. We will visit the fair again to source more products.
Dr. Wai Mon Soe
Owner & Founder
Wellness Market
Myanmar
Wellness Market specialises in the distribution of health food in Myanmar. We also operate a retail store in Yangon selling various health food items such as rice and noodles for people with diabetes, sauces with no sodium & no surgar and low-calorie food for weight control. We’ve found a lot of interesting health products at Food Expo PRO and already identified four suppliers from Thailand for some organic food and tea, sparkling drinks, supplements and nutritional products. We are looking to purchase on a monthly basis and orders are estimated at US$10,000 each. This Expo is a great trading platform. Everything has been well managed here, enabling effective connection and networking between exhibitors and buyers.
Speakers' Quotes
Felix Cheung
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
IXON Food Technology Limited
Hong Kong
I feel honoured to be invited by the HKTDC to share my insights on the adaption of food tech in ready meals. We have developed advanced sous-vide aseptic packaging (ASAP) technology which allows ready meals to be stored at room temperature without refrigeration for up to two years. ASAP enables the production of ready meals with quality, taste, texture and nutritional values comparable to those of traditional cooked meals that can meet the demand for convenient, nutritious and shelf-stable ready meals in today’s fast-paced society. This eco-friendly technology also reduces carbon emissions generated by refrigeration storage and transport. Thanks to the HKTDC’s great efforts in promoting the Food Tech Symposium to international buyers. The symposium has greatly increased the exposure of our revolutionary technology and allowed us to talk to industry players from Europe, Japan and Korea to explore cooperation opportunities. A delegation led by the Consulate General of the Philippines in Hong Kong will visit our factory during the fair period.
Amirali B. Nasir
Trustee, The Incorporated Trustees of the Islamic Community Fund of Hong Kong and Vice President, the Law Society of Hong Kong
Hong Kong
The global Halal food market is developing rapidly due to a growing number of Muslims and greater interest of non-Muslims in Halal food. According to data from MARC Group, the value of the global Halal food market in 2023 is estimated at US$2.47 trillion. The Halal food market in Hong Kong also has huge potential to grow. Currently, there are 106 Halal food restaurants in Hong Kong. There is demand for 5-star restaurants and hotels to make available Halal food menu and Halal buffet. I have brought Halal food and beverage suppliers from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Mainland China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore to this year’s Food Expo PRO. The Expo provides an excellent opportunity for them to promote their brands, enhance their exposure and interact with customers and understand consumer tastes. I’ll bring more Halal food and beverage suppliers to the expo next year.