HONG KONG | HKTDC's five concurrent fairs welcomed 1,860 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions and attracted over 500,000 visitors.
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) organised the HKTDC Food Expo, HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo, and HKTDC Home Delights Expo, which was bustling with visitors.
The Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair also ended on a high note. The two trade fairs saw exhibitors and trade buyers worldwide, including some 20,500 buyers from 60 countries and regions.
Buyers outside Hong Kong mainly came from Mainland China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and other countries, reinforcing Hong Kong’s significant food and beverage trading hub position. The ICMCM, organised by the Modernised Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA), the HKTDC, and ten scientific research institutions, also successfully concluded.
“This year, four theme days featured across all fairs for the first time, contributing to their resounding success. Well-designed, exciting and innovative activities drew large crowds, fuelling visitor spending. This year, a dedicated Halal food and beverage label was introduced on products from more than 100 exhibitors at the Food Expo PRO, and buyers and public visitors welcomed the Food Expo,” said Sophia Chong, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director.
“We were pleased to see the Hong Kong International Tea Fair continue to gain strong support from regional pavilions and exhibitors. The five fairs successfully created significant business opportunities for exhibitors and a vibrant shopping destination for the public.”
In an on-site survey by the HKTDC, more than 50 percent of about 1,500 respondents said they had spent HK$1,000 or more at the exhibition. Nearly 85 percent of respondents said they paid electronically, emphasising how e-payment boosts spending by offering visitors ease and convenience.
Taiwan exhibitor Grass Lands Food Co., Ltd. exhibited at the fair for the first time and achieved great results. By the fourth day of the fair, a whole container of crispy and chewy jerky had sold out.
According to Yu-Hung Wang, manager of Grass Lands Food Co. Ltd, many consumers from Mainland China and Hong Kong showed great interest in jerky products, and the sales were exceptional and far exceeded the expectations.
The Beauty & Wellness Expo showcased quality products, including popular home-use beauty devices, skincare brands, and hair care products. The Korean beauty brand Medicube returned to the fair with an enlarged booth of 96 square metres. The brand’s senior associate of the beauty marketing team, Julie An, saw a lot of potential in Hong Kong for Korean beauty brands and brought two more brands to this year’s fair.
Their best seller was the medicine’s AGE-R Booster Pro beauty device, with an average daily sales volume of more than 1,000 sets at the special Expo price of HK$1,700 each. Other medicube beauty products were well-received by Hong Kong consumers, with new customers responsible for more than 75 percent of sales.
The Home Delights Expo featured massage chairs, smart home technology, stylish homeware, bedding and furniture. Giormani, a custom-made sofa specialist renowned for its quality and design, first appeared at the Home Delights Expo this year.
The Food Expo PRO brought together leading food and beverage companies, technology enterprises and representative organisations from countries and regions worldwide.
Joseph Leung, senior adviser of business development at Haichang Ocean Park Holdings Ltd, a developer of a marine theme park resort in Saudi Arabia, placed substantial orders with exhibitors from Thailand and Mainland China, securing annual contracts worth up to US$500,000 of Halal-certified rice and tea.
“Food tech is a fast-growing trend in the industry. The Food Expo PRO served as a solid platform to launch our innovation and technology with buyers from Japan, Korea, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam showing interest in our 3D food tech devices,” said Connie Lee, Co-founder and CEO of Elevatefoods Technology.
Food Expo PRO also welcomed 20 pavilions from different countries and regions. Panita Shinawatra, Acting Director General of Thailand’s Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion, said they have lined up ten Thai food producers to promote Thai-style food and beverage products at Food Expo PRO.
Abdul Rahman, CEO of Trans-Atlantic Trading Company Limited from Kenya, exhibited at the Hong Kong International Tea Fair for the first time and established links with 15 buyers from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Egypt, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.
ICMCM has fostered collaboration and advanced the industry through dynamic exchanges. Held alongside the Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, Home Delights Expo, the Food Expo PRO and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, the conference contributed to a dynamic, multi-faceted event encompassing food, beauty, health, household goods, and Chinese medicine.
