China’s Food Industry: 5 Key Food Fairs in China that You Can’t Miss

As disposable incomes rise in China, so does the demand for foreign food products. This presents a huge opportunity for companies to enter China’s food industry and cash in. China is currently one of the top food & beverage markets in the world and is predicted to surpass the U.S. soon, making it an ideal time to get involved.

Therefore, gaining market insights, and developing a strong awareness of your brand is critical. Partnering with an agent/ distributor who can assist you with creating a marketing strategy tailored to this unique market is a must before entering the Chinese market. That said, taking place at local food and beverage trade fairs is one of the most effective ways to go about this.

Top 5 Food and Beverage Trade Fairs in China

1. SIAL Shanghai

SIAL Shanghai, a much-anticipated food and beverage industry conference that’s one of the top exhibitions globally, is held every May in Pudong, China. SIAL is also the biggest of its kind on the Mainland and attracts hundreds of thousands of local and foreign professional visitors every single year.

SIAL China has amassed 40,000 exhibitors from over 70 countries since arriving in China in two thousand. The exhibition has more than 20 categories including drinks, snacks, convenience foods, canned food, dairy foods, fresh foods, and anything you can think of. And it’s not just food on display; any equipment related to food such as coolers or freezers is also available for curious visitors. The exhibition area is simply full of everything you can imagine food-related.

Over one million professional visitors come to visit Shanghai SIAL from all over the world. Distributors, market chains, the hotel represents convenience store chains, catering companies, wholesalers, and so on. With such a large number of people in attendance annually, there’s bound to be someone for everyone.

SIAL provides foreign brands and professional visitors with the ideal opportunity to discover China’s market, reach out to distributors and connect with various companies and simply network.

Comexposium, a reputable and efficient event organizer that also produces consumer trade fairs in France is taking care of the organization of SIAL

2. FHC Shanghai

The FHC Shanghai Global Food Exhibition and Trade show is a full-on exhibition platform that showcases the latest and the best quality products in the food industry. With sectors spanning from meat and seafood to kids’ food, high-quality dairy products, bakeries, and snacks, this trade show has something for everyone involved in the food industry.

In addition to product displays, the trade show also offers catering design services, intelligent store designs, and even food delivery chain products, and packaging– making it a one-stop shop for all.

Recently, the exhibition’s focus broadened to include not just hot pot ingredients and supplies, but also higher-quality supply chain options. This allows the exhibition to cover a wider array of food and local specialties.

FHC provides international and local audiences with a professional forum to discuss international food expansion and services. The event also offers interactive business opportunities and connection possibilities through diverse events.

3. ANUFOOD China Shenzhen

ANUFOOD China is based in Shenzhen, providing various professional services to food & beverage exhibitors. For many years, the Anufood exhibition was held in the capital. However, since Shenzhen became a hub of economic activity, organizers decided it would be more beneficial to move the event and become one of the food fairs destinations. Today, the Anufood food and beverages exhibition is the largest food and beverage trade fair in Southern China.

If you’re looking to promote your foreign brand and network with other businesses, the fair is a great opportunity. With 20,000 square meters of space and 15,000 professional visitors per year, it’s slightly smaller than some other fairs but still has plenty to offer.

Anufood offers a variety of food and beverages, including organic foods, baby foods, fresh foods, high-end products, wine, dairy frozen products, seafood, and more.

4. FMR China

Food in Modern Retail exhibition is one of the three largest private-brand trade shows globally. It focuses on supporting and improving connections with fresh food producers and large retailers. This special trade event also looks to build development throughout the entire distribution channel while simultaneously catering to the fresh food industry

The trade show offers business matchmaking events for exhibitors, such as one-on-one meetings.

During the exhibition, various market experts lead forums. They share recent industry insights, market trends, political data, and statistics with attendees.

The FMR buyer’s database is full of China’s major retailers, numbering over 80%. This offers foreign exhibitors a great chance to meet with some of the country’s finest retailers. All exhibitors will also be given a complete buyers list during the event

5. IEF Guangzhou

Each year, the IFE (International Food Exhibition & Import Food Exhibition fair) in China draws thousands of attendees and professionals to Guangzhou. The event is located at the Canton Exhibition Center- which just so happens to be the top exhibition center located in all of Asia. Spanning 700,000 meters, there’s more than enough space for everyone!

IEF offers a wide variety of food products, attracting buyers from all corners of the globe. Brands who choose to become VIP members have the opportunity to connect with suppliers during the event.

Contact us to enter one of China’s food and beverages trade shows

If you are looking to expand your business in China and attend one of these exhibitions, consider teaming up with a local agency. We are China’s top marketing agency, helping brands increase their footprint in the Chinese market.

Our professional team will guide you through all steps of the exhibition, from pre-event preparation to post-event follow-up. We have a wealth of experience in helping exhibitors maximize their ROI. This includes working with local partners, understanding Chinese culture and customs, addressing cultural barriers, and more.

We understand the importance of making a strong impression at these events and will work with you to ensure that your brand is presented positively. We can provide advice on creating effective displays, developing compelling marketing materials, engaging with potential customers, and using new technologies to stand out from the competition.

Contact us today to discuss your custom event needs.