The four-day “Asia Pacific Food Expo 2024” successfully concluded on Monday (Dec 9th), with over 50 business matching negotiations taking place at the Macao Pavilion. Macao exhibitors are satisfied with the outcomes, as “Made in Macao” and “Macao Brand” products have garnered substantial repurchases and inquiries. “Sales figures for a single day at the event surpass those typically seen in Macao on weekdays”. The heightened demand at the event has elevated the popularity of Macao products to a peak, establishing them as the preferred choice among Singaporean and international businessmen. Moreover, some exhibitors have successfully connected with the local supermarkets and food agents through interactions. Furthermore, some businessmen have shown optimism regarding Macao’s business environment and the significant potential of Halal catering market in general. They engaged in profound discussions with Macao enterprises on-site and expressed their intentions to establish a presence in Macao.
In Singapore, Ms. Elaine Wong, Member of Board of Directors of Macao Commerce and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), met with Honorary President Edward Liu and Executive Director Jan Tan of the Asian Federation of Exhibition and Convention Associations (AFECA) to promote the MICE advantages of Macao and Hengqin, and invited AFECA to hold conventions and exhibitions in Macao and Hengqin. Mr. Edward Liu expressed his intention to visit Macao and Hengqin for an inspection tour in 2025. Established in Singapore in 2005, AFECA currently has about 155 members, which are mainly the MICE industry associations in Asia.
The “Consumption + Negotiation” Integrated Exhibition Aids Enterprises in Connecting with International Business Opportunities
Organised by the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association, the “Asia Pacific Food Expo 2024” has an exhibition area of about 10,000 square meters. The event has drawn the participation of over 200 exhibitors from mainland China and Singapore, encompassing upstream, midstream and downstream industrial chain enterprises in the food and beverage industries. IPIM and the Industrial Association of Macau set up the Macao Pavilion, for the first time, at the “Asia Pacific Food Expo”, and organised the participation of 24 Macao SMEs and over 250 “Made in Macao”, “Macao Brand” products, of which nearly 80% were Halal-certified products or the distinguished “M Brand” quality products.
Throughout the four-day event, Macao exhibitors, and the buyers and visitors from around the globe all benefited significantly. According to the Macao enterprises, the diverse customer sources of the Expo enable them to swiftly comprehend and access the latest market trends, and to grasp the new consumption patterns of international customers. Furthermore, the “consumption + negotiation” integrated exhibition can function as a platform for testing the products and establishing business networks. Local Internet influencers were also invited to promote Macao companies’ brands and their charms at the Macao Pavilion.
Leveraging Insights from the Global Halal Food Sector to Craft the Golden Business Card for Halal Food in Macao
At the event, exhibitors were delighted to witness the positive reception of Macao’s halal food by the visitors. Through the exhibition, they have recognised significant business prospects in Singapore and other halal food markets. They will leverage insights from the Singapore’s Halal food to upgrade Macao’s halal food production, in order to further enrich the experience of international visitors to Macao, thereby crafting Macao’s golden business card.
Some visitors praised the layout and arrangement of the Macao Pavilion, which could let them fully feel the charm of Macao and quickly grasp the latest business information of Macao and Hengqin. The accurate connection with Macao enterprises for “one-on-one” negotiations also strengthened their intention to invest in Macao and Hengqin.
