Food + Beverage
An estimated 50,000 food and beverage professionals will gather in Hong Kong to attend HOFEX 2017. A comprehensive sourcing platform, HOFEX is now in its 30th year. ProWine Asia 2017 will run concurrently with the event.
HOFEX draws food and beverage professionals from across the region and around the world. They come to source products, network, learn about best practices – the list goes on.
Approximately 2,500 purveyors of food, beverages, and related products will exhibit their wares across 65,000-square metres in 15 halls on three levels of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai on Hong Kong Island.
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Exhibits will include food and drinks and organic products; meat; foodservice equipment; wine, spirts, and beer; bakery equipment and ingredients; hospitality interiors and hotel supplies; hospitality technology; and coffee and tea.
There will be 44 national pavilions. In addition to old standbys such as Britain, Japan, Thailand, and the United States, Georgia and Latvia will be represented at the event for the first time this year.
Also taking part for the first time, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden will showcase their culinary wares in a joint Nordic Pavilion.
But there will be more than a chance to source products. A host of other activities are planned at HOFEX 2017.
Four competitions, for example, will take place:
- Hong Kong International Culinary Classic – chefs, cooks, pastry chefs, and apprentices will compete individually in Western cuisine, Chinese cuisine, pastry, and live artistic fruit and vegetable carving; they will compete as teams in a live high tea set competition, a gourmet team challenge, and a butchery skills challenge.
- Mixed Barista Arts – baristas will be challenged to demonstrate who has the best all-round set of skills, which will include engaging with customers.
- Asian Catering Equipment Awards – equipment manufacturers and designers will be recognized for their innovation and contributions to profitability and sustainability.
- AllWorld Open Cup Presented by Bols – mixologists will compete for the honour of being named the best mixologist in Asia.
There will also be four conferences and forums:
- IFMA’s World Workplace Asia – the theme of this year’s workplace conference will be “driving facility management”.
- Regional Hotel General Managers’ Forum – More than 100 hotel general managers from across Asia will attend a forum organized by the Hong Kong Hotels Association.
- Hospitality Design Forum – hospitality designers will share their insights on the latest trends in hotel design.
- Wine Forum – wine makers and importers will introduce their wares through competitions, seminars, tastings, and a networking event.
ProWine Asia 2017
Running concurrently with HOFEX, ProWine Asia is a international trade fair for the wines and spirits industry. It is being held in Hong Kong for the first time this year.
ProWine Asia is modeled after the world’s top wine and spirits trade fair, ProWein, which is held annually in Dusseldorf, Germany.
Enthusiasm for ProWine Asia has been so strong that demand for exhibition space has increased by 50% from what was expected when plans to launch the event were announced last year.
The event will attract more than 200 suppliers of wines and spirits from 21 countries and regions.
A full schedule of master classes, forums, and tastings will also be held all four days of the event.
Featured speakers will include two Master of Wine. Debra Meiburg wil talk about e-commerece and distribution wine trends, marketing by gender, and building a wine market in Asia.
Jancis Robinson will talk about how she judges the quality of wine and under-appreciated grapes varieties.
Asia Wine Summit
A business oriented symposium focusing on the wine trade will be held concurrently with HOFEX 2017.
Speakers will address attendees on industry best practices. They will also present successful case studies.
If You Want to Attend …
HOFEX and ProWine Asia  will be held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wanchai on Hong Kong Island.
Both events are for industry professionals only. They are not open to the general public or anyone below the age of 18
Pre-registration is already closed. Industry professionals can register on-site with business cards.
Where
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Drive, Wanchai, Hong Kong. HKCEC is within walking distance of the Wanchai MTR station.