FHA 2014: Global food and hospitality marketplace

SINGAPORE Expo is now packed with some 3,000 exhibitors to Food & Hospitality Asia (FHA), which together with Wine&SpiritsAsia (WSA), takes place from 8-11 April 2014. This morning, Mr S. Iswaran, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry and Home Affairs, graciously took part in the opening ceremonies.

Guest of honour, Home Affairs and Trade & Industry Minister S Iswaran, tours the FHA show floor (right photo, and opens FHA WSA 2014 with Stephen Tan, chief executive, Singapore Exhibition Services, and Kay Kuok, president, Singapore Hotel Association 

The largest event for the food and hospitality industries in Asia, FHA showcases food ingredients and products, food service equipment, and technology that focus on space, labour and time-saving solutions. There are 63 international group pavilions where visitors can directly connect with trade and industry ministries and associations.

Show organiser, Singapore Exhibition Services expects over 45,000 trade visitors to FHA and WSA. In fact, the event will see about 60 visitor group delegations including City of Dreams, Guangzhou Hotel Association, Hotel Gastro Union, Les Toques Blanches Victoria Charter, Malaysian Association of Hotels (Kuala Lumpur & Penang), Penang Chefs Association, Saigon Professional Chefs Guild, Siam Makro, and The Malaysian F&B Executive Association.

“We’ve come a long way over the years, growing the show to become Asia’s key business platform for the food and hospitality industries,” said Stephen Tan, chief executive, Singapore Exhibition Services.  “Going beyond being a sourcing ground for the regional industry, the show is also a knowledge-sharing platform with the FHA2014 International Conference and an international competition arena, delivering a holistic experience to all attendees at FHA and WSA 2014.”

Conferences and competitions

The FHA International Conference has three conference tracks, namely Manufacturing, Food Services and Hotels & Resorts. The agenda includes addressing the lack of manpower, as well as other key topics on managing hotel operations and revenue optimisation strategies; F&B operations and food concepts; technologies for the hotel and F&B; and food safety (food regulations and contamination detection methods and food product innovation and development).

More than 850 chefs will battle it out in the FHA Culinary Challenge (FCC), the Individual Challenge, Dream Team Challenge and Gourmet Team Challenge. The FCC is the National Team Challenge, which is held once every four years, will have nine national teams compete for three qualifying slots to the ultimate competition, the Battle of the Lion. At the Bakery&Pastry, one competition will take place, the Asian Pastry Cup.

The FHA Barista Challenge and first-ever FHA Latte Art Challenge, will also take place alongside a number of courses, workshops and fringe activities.

Competitions at WSA include the RIPE-WSA Cocktail Challenge as well as the WSA Wine Challenge. Awards for the winning wines will be presented tonight at the first MAGNUM NIGHT, an exclusive networking event for the international wine scene. The winning labels will also be displayed at an exclusive tasting lounge at WSA.

FHA consists of six speciality shows that cater to the respective sectors within the industry – Bakery&Pastry, FoodAsia, HospitalityStyleAsia, HospitalityTechnology, HotelAsia, and the new addition, SpecialtyCoffee&Tea, which will present various products, equipment and services from producers and suppliers from around the world.