Are you ready for the next big thing in Asian food?
Discover it in the upcoming 13th edition of the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) on 24-26 May 2019.
Presenting ‘NXTFOOD ASIA,’ this year’s edition will showcase Asian food featuring the latest food innovations, trends and best practices in the food industry with the participation of Asian food manufacturers, experts, culinary masters, enthusiasts and other stakeholders in the food world.
IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest and most respected business-to-business (B2B) event for Asian food and ingredients organized by the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM).
“See, taste and experience the next big thing in the future of food in the Philippines and other countries as we serve you the flavorful selections that emanate from our deeply rooted Asian culinary tradition and heritage,” said DTI-CITEM Executive Director Pauline Suaco-Juan.
“Be part of this gastronomic celebration to discover the finest food and ingredients, iconic culinary fusions, home-grown delicacies and latest food trends that Asia has to offer, as well as experience the world-renowned hospitality of the Filipino people,” she added.
Asian Food Bonanza
Culminating this year’s edition is the exhibit of ‘Asian Food Champions’ featuring international country pavilions such as China, Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and other Asian countries. It shall be complemented by the ‘Asian Flavors Avenue’ where a variety of Asian cuisine will be offered to event participants, buyers and visitors.
“With the show’s strong reputation and our aggressive marketing campaign, we hope to get the support of Asian embassies, tourism promotion organizations (TPOs), marketing agents and well-known Asian restaurants to sign up for the event,” said Suaco-Juan.
Welcoming buyers and visitors with an appetizing zing will be the corner for fermented Asian food with a palatable selection of iconic pickles, relishes, condiments and tangy selection. It will feature the sweet, sour, salty and fermented preserves from various Asian countries.
“The flexibility of Asian food will also be put to the test in an Asian noodle exhibit which will highlight the range of traditional to ready-to-eat noodle products in their various forms, shapes, colors and flavors,” added Suaco-Juan.
A new much-awaited exhibit is the ‘IFEX Degustacion: Islands on a Plate’ that will host a unique food tasting experience and retail section in a ‘fiesta’ setting featuring home-grown food brands and best-known delicacies originating from various regions in the Philippines with a unique culinary heritage. Along this setting is a beverage lane that will give buyers and visitors a preview of the latest in fruit- and vegetable-based alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, juices, wines and spirits where Filipino home-grown beverages and top local brands will be featured.
“We’re also very excited to debut ‘The Cold Room,’ an innovative exhibit designed to feature various Philippine seafood like tuna, prawns, octopus, seaweed and other high-value marine food products in an actual cold storage facility open to the guests,” Suaco-Juan said as she described how buyers and visitors will have the chance to taste and sample fresh sashimi, ceviche and shrimp cocktails.
Global PH food firms step up
Another exciting addition is the ‘Food Philippines’ hall which shall be the premier venue for top Philippine food brands with a strong presence in the global food market. It shall house the country’s exporters of Premium 7 products and the next rising stars in Philippine food, as well as consolidators representing Philippine food exporters.
“The country’s Premium 7 export products are banana, mango, pineapple, coconut, tuna, coffee and cacao. These commodities are tagged as the Premium 7 since these have been the Philippines’ leading food export for the longest time,” said Suaco-Juan.
Meanwhile, the next rising stars of Philippine food include calamansi (Philippine lime), pili nuts, ube (purple yam), and fruit and vegetable-based beverages.
According to Suaco-Juan, these exhibits are only teasers of what is to come in IFEX Philippines 2019. Buyers and exhibitors can expect this year to be more oriented towards oriental flavors as the show strengthens its position as a premier sourcing event for Asian food and ingredients.
In 2017, IFEX Philippines was one of the official business events during the country’s hosting of the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit. The show paved the way for more opportunities and innovations around the world with the showcase of the Philippines’ best and overseas participation of Asian countries like China, South Korea, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
Last year, the three-day event was relaunched as an annual trade show. It showcased Asian food products from nearly 600 food exhibitors and welcomed more than 7,000 visitors including over 1,800 trade buyers from 40 countries around the world.
Visit www.ifexphilippines.com/ to sign up for the event or to check out more details. Follow IFEX Philippines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get more updates on the event.
Date of release: 29 January 2019