Shanghai –20^th April 2009 FHC China, the longest running and largest IMPORTED Food and Wine trade show in China has just got bigger with the addition of new features planned for the exhibition taking place from 18-20 November 2009 in Shanghai.

 

The record breaking 2008 show attracted 807 exhibiting companies from 85 countries and regions, 93 importers and distributors, 22 pavilions and 20,441 trade visitors. In response to demand from the market new features will be added to FHC China 2009. These featured product zones will offer more focus and make it easier for buyers to identify companies offering their specialist areas of interest within this large exhibition. The feature areas include: FHC ICE for ice cream; Wine & Spirits; Tea & Coffee; Canned Food; Meat China; and Bakery China. The specialist zones will provide a concentration of the leading companies and distributors supplying these products and include seminars on relevant topics rooms and product demonstrations. National Pavilions that make up the majority of the show will still include the full range of foods, wine and beverages from each country, that are such a feature of FHC.

 

Demand for space at FHC China 2009 remains strong despite the world financial crisis. According to China National Food Industry Association (CNFIA), China will become the largest market for imported food in the world by 2018. Reasons for the continued growth in food imports to China are two fold according to Wang Wenzhe, chairman of CNFIA. Firstly, “the China market is still growing, though at a slower rate than in previous years. As incomes rise more consumers are exploring the growing range of imported products available in the market”. Secondly, health scares particularly the contaminated –milk scandal of last year has resulted in more Chinese consumers opting to buy imported foods. For example, figures from the National Bureau of Statistics show imports of milk powder soared by 61% to 7,570 tons in October 2008, source China Daily 10^th April 2009.

 

The market for wine, a sector that has seen a slow but steady growth over the last five years now places China as the world’s ninth-largest market by volume. While the value of imports to China is expected to reach US$870 million by 2017, up almost fivefold from US$184 million in 2007. According to China’s import statistics, in the first 5 months of 2008, China imported 84.89 million litres of wine, an increase of 10.3% over 2007; while the value of imports surged to US$310 million, up 49.1% year on year.

 

The distinctive feature of the FHC exhibition is the fact that 98% of all exhibitors are international companies or agents of international companies. This means that visitors attending expect to only see the higher quality and priced

 

imported product. This is very different from all other shows in China where the majority of exhibitors are actually Chinese manufacturers. Here the visitors that attend are buyers of Chinese quality and price food and beverages. A very different segment of the market from the trade buyers attending FHC. The show report from FHC 2008 states that of the 20,441 trade buyers that attended the show, 38% were from retail sector and 26% from hospitality and catering and 23% trading and distributors.

 

In addition to the 16 pavilions who have booked space again from last year, new National Groups launching this year at FHC China 2009 include Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Czech Republic, France and Thailand.  New initiatives to boost French food and wine trade with China, will see the French pavilion  coordinated by UBI France. While the largest pavilions at the show will again be Spain and Italy, the Italian pavilion is expected to grow significantly in size.