Diverse global offering at Asia?s top trade show

ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA visitors can look forward to seeing an exciting array of products and services from across the supply chain, and from all over the world.   Asia’s rapidly evolving fresh fruit and vegetable markets are ripe for the introduction of new products and services, and there’ll be an unparalleled range on show at this year’s ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.   Asia’s only dedicated fresh fruit and vegetable trade fair returns to Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo on 7-9 September 2016, with over 650 exhibitors from 37 different countries set to showcase their products and services.   The sell-out show has expanded by 20 per cent this year in terms of exhibition space, and visitors will be able to see a remarkable array of market-leading and innovative products from across the world.    Avocados are relatively new to China and several other Asian markets, but consumption is beginning to take off in the region – and a number of leading avocado industry players will be showcasing their offerings at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.   Chinese importer Lantao will be back again, promoting its recent partnership with major global grower-marketer Mission Produce and Chinese greengrocer chain Pagoda to bring pre-ripened avocados to consumers. Mission Produce and New Zealand exporter Avanza will once again share a booth under their Partners in Asia collaboration, while US-based Index Fresh and Green Fruit Avocados will be exhibiting for the second time.   Efforts to educate consumers in Asia about the health benefits of avocados, and how to eat them, are driving demand. Nutritional attributes also look set to be key to the success of other newer products featuring at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.   Muscadine grapes will be on display from first-time exhibitor the North Carolina Wine and Grape Council. The large dark-skinned seeded grapes are typically marketed as individual berries.   “Asian markets have shown a high demand for nutraceuticals, and Muscadines, with their very high levels of resveratrol, are a natural candidate for this market,” explained Peter Thornton of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.   ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA will also stage the launch of a range of other new products. Spanish grower-packer KakiFresh Nature is making its debut in a bid to find customers for its persimmons (also known as kakis) across Asia; Dutch seed company Rijk Zwaan will launch its new long-lasting Knox lettuce range; and UK company Blue Skies will promote its ‘fresh from harvest’ prepared fruits, buoyed by increasing demand for health and convenience in Asia.   “Consumers in this region are receptive to new products and recognise the value of quality,” said Blue Skies’ communications director Simon Derrick.   Supply chain solutions  Asia’s fast-growing markets are not only hungry for new fresh fruit and vegetable products, they also present fertile ground for services and solutions spanning the supply chain.    “Asia is one of the richest continents in terms of fruit and vegetable production, and one of the markets with the highest potential when it comes to introducing solutions allowing produced to be transported and stored in optimal conditions in order to extend its shelf-life,” said Brent Rogers, air filtration specialist and Asia account manager with BioConservación, which will be exhibiting its market-leading ethylene absorption systems.   Modern container shipping is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, and Maersk Line is continuing to push container shipping into the digital era. The global shipping giant will be showcasing its Remote Container Management (RCM) system, which turns the reefer container into a digitally connected device, at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.   Meanwhile, Aircoolbox – a new container system that could provide a greener and more cost-effective way to control fresh produce temperatures during air transit  – will make its debut at the show. The self-contained and re-usable system is designed with airfreight in mind. Easily moved by forklift and pallet trucks, its dimensions make best use of the height available in the aircraft cargo hold and fit in neat configurations on commonly used aircraft pallet bases.   E-commerce platforms are also providing new trading and logistics solutions for the fresh fruit and vegetable business in Asia, with China blazing a trail. Chinese companies Cuixianyuan.com and Fruta Cloud will be showcasing their B2B services at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA.   Flying the flag  With 23 national pavilions featuring at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, visitors can take in a range of colourful country-led campaigns at the show.   Italy will be out in force once again. Italian marketing and research agency CSO has organised two stands at this year’s event – one under the Freshness From Europe banner for several of the country’s leading fresh produce exporters – and another simply called ‘Italy’ that will showcase key players in the country’s production, export, technology and packaging sectors. French fresh produce association Interfel will be exhibiting at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA under the ‘Discover the European Lifestyle!’ banner. “It’s a communication concept developed by French and Italian produce associations Interfel and Assomela, designed to promote the European Lifestyle in third countries,” explained Interfel international marketing manager Daniel Soares.   Thirteen French exporters and one Italian company will showcase their wares at the Lifestyle pavilion, while two well-known chefs from France and Italy will be on hand to prepare dishes for passing visitors.   Egypt and Australia – which have been among the top-five exhibiting countries at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA in recent years – are both expanding their space by around a third this year. Both exporting nations have recently secured market access breakthroughs in China, Australia winning access for its nectarines and Egypt for its table grapes – so building trade relations will be a key focus for these industry groups at the show.   Visitors can get all the latest exhibitor data and the interactive floor plan online at ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA’s Virtual Marketplace: www.virtualmarket.asiafruitlogistica.com/en. The Virtual Marketplace enables visitors to search exhibitor products and services, see their location on the show-floor and schedule appointments.    For visitor enquiries on ASIA FRUIT LOGISTICA, please contact: Claudia Bach by email: info@gp-events.com, telephone: + 49 30 3038 2373 or visit www.asiafruitlogistica.com