THAIFEX, Anuga Asia, is being held from 23rd to 27th May 2023 at Impact Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand. The event is being sponsored and hosted by the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), and Koelnmesse (KM).
THAIFEX is the region's most significant and comprehensive food and beverage trade show, which is expected to garner over 3,000 exhibitors where business discussions can be exchanged between buyers and business owners from across the globe. The total transaction value of the event equalled 70,000 million baht.
The Director of the Office of Agricultural and Industrial Trade Promotion, DITP, Ms Natiya Suchinda, stated that the pandemic had meant the event was impacted from 2019 to 2022. However, this upcoming trade show will provide the food and beverage industry with a global platform to exchange ideas, negotiate deals, and discover innovations and technologies while creating marketing opportunities. THAIFEX is planned to further Thailand's potential as a leader in producing and exporting world-class quality food.
"This year, more than 3,000 companies from 43 countries, including 1,200 Thai businesses, will showcase their products and services across 5,500 booths. The participating countries include East Asia, ASEAN, Europe, the United States, Australia, Latin America, and the Middle East," said Suchinda.
The Director of the Office of Agricultural and Industrial Trade Promotion shared that the event was approximated to have over 60,000 trade visitors from across the globe in attendance, to facilitate business transactions valued over 70 billion baht, with online purchases exceeding 1.5 billion baht.
Featuring 11 zones, the trade fair showcases diverse food and beverage products, including coffee and tea, drinks, fine food, food service, food technology, frozen food, fruits and vegetables, meat, rice, seafood, and seafood sweets and confectionery.
For those who cannot attend, there will be the THAIFEX Virtual Trade Show, where attendees can virtually browse and select product categories of interest while viewing 3D models, videos, product catalogues, and product images.
Mr Kitsana Vachekrilas, Secretary General of the TCC, emphasised Thailand's strong position as a regional food and beverage producer. In 2022, Thailand was the 15th largest food exporter in the world, with a value of 1.36 trillion baht, representing an increase of 22.7 percent compared to the previous year. This growth was driven by the increasing demand for food products across global markets, as many countries gradually reopened their borders in early 2022.
"The THAIFEX, Anuga Asia event is important for Thai entrepreneurs, including large businesses, SMEs, and startups, to bring their products and services to domestic and international markets," said Kitsana.
Vachekrilas revealed that the full-scale return of the event this year has met with positive responses from many large business operators, as it allowed operators to test market viability and create business opportunities on a global level, which the organiser believed would promote the growth of Thailand's food and beverage industry significantly.
In addition, THAIFEX will present innovative and environmentally conscious production methods, including Carbon Footprint and Eco Score labelling, while highlighting Zero Waste and Food Waste products to promote sustainable practices across the value chain.
"As we work towards a more sustainable trade show, the organisers are taking measures to reduce its environmental impact. We're amplifying our use of digital screens and mobile apps while reducing printed materials such as show guides and brochures," said Co-founder and Managing Director of KM Thailand, Mr Phusit Sasitaranondha.
Sasitaranondha elaborated that other significant strides in the food and beverages export fair for sustainability included eliminating carpets along the aisles and using e-badges, saving over 70,000 lanyards.
Furthermore, the team at Thaifex have committed to responsibly managing resources while simultaneously updating and creating more precise goals to exercise a more sustainable and resource-friendly trade show exponentially. Secondly, THAIFEX has announced that it would repurpose its banners into reusable bags to be donated to schools and charity organisations.
"Our ultimate goal is to lead the way and inspire others to join us on this journey towards a greener future."
