Product, industry breakthroughs headline IFEA 2014

IFEA 2014, Africa’s premier food and drink event, will kickstart its second run on November 5 at the Sandton Convention Centre. Hot on the heels of its successful debut last year at the same venue, the continent’s largest international show for food and drinks is expected to be even bigger with a wider range of manufacturers and more product and technology highlights.

The three-day show will gather together manufacturers, suppliers and producers from the general foods, organic, fresh produce, frozen and chilled foods, speciality and regional foods, children’s foods, meat and poultry, and seafoods sectors. Visitors will also find the current and latest innovations and breakthroughs in bakery and confectionery, cheese and dairy, non-alcoholic drinks, ingredients, and health and well-being industries. 

The free business seminar programme at The Hub will host leading experts, who can provide invaluable insight on both local and international food and beverage trends. 

This year’s trade show will feature the New Products Showcase, where exhibitors will display their latest and best products. At The Skillery, prominent chefs will demonstrate their culinary skills. 

Bottled drinks © Pengyou93 | Dreamstime.com

A concurrent event will be the national finals of the South African Barista Championships, which will be held at IFEA for the first time this year. Visitors and buyers alike can watch the country’s leading baristas prepare new and popular coffee mixes at this national competition organised by the Speciality Coffee Association of Southern Africa. This association of coffee industry players aims to promote quality coffees and recognise employees of the industry within Southern Africa.

“We are committed to investing in the Pan African show and are planning for it to be an absolute force to be reckoned with,” said Chris McCuin, business development director for Montgomery. To secure IFEA’s reputation as the leading international food and drink trade event on the African continent, this year’s organisers, Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, hired big names in the industry. 

Regional foods will be a highlight of the show

According to Mr. McCuin, a new portfolio director and a new event director have joined the company. They are likewise enlisting the expertise of a brand director based in London. 

Werner Douglas heads IFEA in South Africa as Portfolio Director of Specialised Exhibitions. He will tap into his expertise in developing sales processes and techniques to grow the exhibitions business. From Harvard Business School, Mr Douglas honed his knowledge in the mechanical, engineering and technology sectors by holding various business sales, marketing, design and project management positions. 

Meanwhile, new Event Director Nicholas Sarnadas brings to the Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery table a wealth of experience from six years of collaborating with industry leaders such as Bidvest, General Mills, Unilever, McCain, Tiger Brands, AEG, Rainbow Foods, Ciro and SAB Miller. He served as events manager and national culinary team South Africa logistics manager for the South African Chefs Association (SACA), where he conceptualised and managed major income-earning events such as the Hostex–Chefs Theatre, Infochef and The Careers Expo. He oversaw the South African Chefs Village at a number of expos such as the Grand Designs Live and Good Food & Wine Show. In addition, he conceptualised and managed cookery competitions, including The Nestlé Golden Chefs Hat, Goldcrest Young Chef of the Year, The Tabasco Restaurant Showcase, the Pillsbury Bake-Off, The Global Chefs Challenge and the Checkers Championship Boerewors Challenge.
The combined knowledge and experience of these new directors will bring IFEA 2014 to new heights with never-before-seen industry breakthroughs, according to Mr McCuin.  

Mr McCuin himself was instrumental in growing the IFE, the company’s flagship international food and drink event in the UK. He joined Fresh Montgomery at the beginning of 2010 as director of IFE. Backed by many years of experience managing some of the largest and most established exhibitions throughout Asia and China, he was instrumental in launching the IFEA in Johannesburg South Africa last year. 

IFEA 2014

Date: 5–7 November

Venue: Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa

Organiser: Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery 

T: +27 011 835 1565

W: www.ifea.co.za