SIAL China 2016 rides on growing HoReCa market

QUALITY gastronomic products will take center stage in next year’s SIAL China as manufacturers prepare to match the requirements of the expanding HoReCa industry.

Asia’s largest food innovation exhibition will feature 21 sectors, 11 events, and dozens of cooking demonstrations to showcase the latest and upcoming trends in the food, beverage, and wine segments. Nearly 3,000 exhibitors are expected to present their breakthrough products and offerings to about 66,000 projected visitors, more than 25% of which are from the food service industry.

SIAL China 2016, scheduled to run from May 5 to 7, is forecast to continue on the growth path achieved by the show’s 16^th edition. The 2015 event, which took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Center last May 6 to 8, had 14% more exhibitors at 2,734 and 11.5% more visitors at 61,296 compared with the 2014 show. The total exhibition area was also bigger at 115,000 square meters, more than 20% compared with the area used in 2014.

La Cuisine will hold culinary competitions

About 90% of exhibitors from this year’s show expressed satisfaction with the trade event, with 89% of them recommending it. Meanwhile, 96% of the visitors were satisfied with the show and 92% confirmed attendance next year.

The 2016 show will ride on the booming HoReCa industry, which is expected to continue growing on the back of the rising number of hotel rooms in China. The expanding middle-class consumer population is also boosting the market for hotel dining. Meanwhile, the catering industry is expected to breach US$190 billion in revenue as more high-end restaurants and hotels target the low-end market. 

The trade fair’s Meat section in halls E3 and E4, which will take up 25,000 square meters of exhibition space, will feature high-quality meat such as Wagyu and Canadian beef, Australian mutton, and Indian poultry suitable for restaurants. The Wine section at hall W5 will showcase the growing selection of champagnes, sparkling, and wines from both old world and new world.

The meat section will showcase high-quality mutton, beef, and more

Visitors looking for high-value food items such as French truffle, Spanish ham, and Korean ginseng will have a lot to sample at the Gourmet section. The Central Kitchen and Seafood sections at halls E3 and E4 will offer a one-stop purchasing opportunity for sourcing premium Chinese products.

SIAL Innovation 2016 will recognize the show’s most innovative products  (Photo from previous SIAL China Innovation Awards)

There will be several interactive events to complement sourcing activities. The Retail & Hospitality Forum will discuss the expanding retail network, impact of marketing campaigns and issues related to food safety.  La Cuisine, with endorsement from the World Associations of Chef’s Society (WACS), will conduct live culinary competitions while Seafood Fest will have cooking demonstrations using fresh aquatic products. Wine distributors can gain more insight regarding consumer needs at the Wine Lab wine education sanctuary.