Australian food and beverages charmed buyers from across Southeast Asia at Food & Hotel Asia 2024.
Australian food and beverage (F&B) stole the spotlight at Food & Hotel Asia, one of the region's largest food and beverage exhibitions.
This year's event attracted 1,500 exhibitors from 50 countries. Over 60,000 attendees - including buyers from Southeast Asia's major F&B retailers - attended the four-day event in April.
More than 160 Australian companies came to the event, the largest ever Australian delegation at Food & Hotel Asia.
Showcasing exceptional Australian food and beverages
The Australia Pavilion was a feast for the senses, offering fresh produce and healthy, innovative products. Many of the products had a strong focus on sustainability.
Visitors had the chance to taste products from leading Australian brands, including Bulla, Frosty Boy, and Primo. Austrade connected with over 400 customers that visited the pavilion.
Buyers expressed their delight at tasting some Australian products for the first time. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Many buyers emphasised the exceptional quality of Australian produce.
First Nations business Sobah showed off its range of non-alcoholic craft beers.
There was strong interest in non-alcoholic beverages, with demand for this product growing across Southeast Asia. Craft beer business Sobah impressed visitors with its unique non-alcoholic brews made from native Australian ingredients.
Nutri V turned heads with healthy snacks made from vegetable waste, a testament to Australian creativity and sustainability efforts.
'The turnout at our booth was fantastic,' says Helen Oh, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade Singapore. 'We've had a lot of enquiries. We were also able to connect customers with F&B clients that were unable to attend this year's trade show.'
Retail tour uncovers insights
Earlier in the week, Austrade organised a retail tour for 23 new-to-export Australian companies. They visited some of Singapore's most popular retailers, including Little Farms, Cold Storage, Ryans Grocery and NTUC FairPrice.
The visit provided valuable insights into Singapore's retail landscape. Businesses also had the opportunity to network with key stakeholders.
Austrade also supported business-matching programs for 269 buyers from 133 organisations. The buyers included importers, distributors, retailers and foodservice operators across the region.
State and territory governments also showed their support for Australian F&B exporters, including:
- Investment NSW
- Trade and Investment Queensland
- Global Victoria
- the Government of Western Australia
- the Tasmanian Government
- Gold Coast City Council.
Industry bodies Meat & Livestock Australia and AusVEG were also at the event.
Agribusiness and food opportunities in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing markets for Australian agricultural exports. Population growth, rapid urbanisation, rising incomes and escalating food security requirements will continue driving Southeast Asian needs for agricultural products to 2040.
There will be greater consumption of meat, seafood, eggs, dairy products and manufactured foods as diets diversify and average wages increase.
There will be a growing appetite for cleaner, sustainable and ethically sourced foods as consumers increasingly prioritise health and food safety in their food choices.
