Asia Pacific regional buyers heading to Hong Kong in September

Seafood Expo Asia will return to Hong Kong from 5 to 7 September, 2017, for its eighth edition, according to the event’s organizer, Diversified Communications.

The event will pick up where it left off last year, when more than 8,800 seafood professionals from 69 countries flocked to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center to examine and experience a variety of seafood products, services and equipment from Asia and around the world. This year’s exposition features an extensive program as well as a host of innovative brands and exhibits, “making it the ideal platform for industry professionals to source the latest products, meet face-to-face with new and existing suppliers, hear from experts on current trends in the industry and participate in exciting special events," Seafood Expo Asia Event Director Iris Kwan said.

The Asia Pacific region, which Seafood Expo Asia highlights, is projected to account for 70 percent of global fish consumption by 2030, according to the World Bank. As such, professionals from all along the seafood supply chain are more determined than ever to appeal to the Asian market, Kwan said.

“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," Kwan said. “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.”

Key regional buyers registered to attend the event so far include Aeon Big Sdn.Bhd (Malaysia), Aeon Stores Co. (Hong Kong), City Super Ltd. (Hong Kong), Colruyt Group (Hong Kong), ITM Alimentaires International (Thailand), Metro Food Sourcing APAC (Hong Kong), MGM Macau, ParknShop Ltd. (Hong Kong), Sodexo Service Asia Pte Ltd. (Singapore), Tesco Stores Sdn. Bhd. (Malaysia), Unicoop Firenze (Italy), and Walmart China. 

Confirmed newcomers set to exhibit at the 2017 expo include international pavilions from Spain, France, South Korea, and China, joining new exhibiting countries like Denmark, Iceland, the Maldives, and Mexico. 

This year’s event also boasts a new and enhanced conference program, tackling topics such as Internet of Things applications in the seafood industry, traceability and authentication, consumer trends, aquaculture, and a workshop on sustainability and certification. 

This year, a redesigned Seafood Expo Asia Product Showcase will be unveiled at this show. The showcase will be set up market-style to allow exhibitors from around the world to effectively introduce their brands to markets and buyers with new purchasing ideas, according to Diversified Communications (Editor's note: Diversified Communications is the parent company of SeafoodSource).

Seafood Expo Asia runs in tandem with Restaurant and Bar Hong Kong, the region’s fine dining and beverage exhibition.