The Viet Nam International Food Industry Exhibition (Vietnam Foodexpo) to be held in HCM City from November 14 to 17 will be a forum for local and international businesses in the field to compare notes and explore business opportunities.

Speaking at a press briefing in HCM City on November 9, Nguyen Thi Thu Thuy, deputy director of the Viet Nam Trade Promotion Agency’s Export Promotion Centre, said the expo has attracted 450 businesses from 31 Vietnamese cities and provinces and 23 countries and territories.

On display will be a wide range of agricultural products like fresh, dried, frozen and canned fruits; seafood; beverages; food materials; and food processing technology equipment.

Some leading local brands such as Quang Ngai Sugar, Satra, TH, Tigifood, Phuc Sinh Coffee, Vissan, PAN Group, Antesco, Phu Thinh Food, and Thien Huong Food will take part as will many first timers.

The Vietnam International Food Technologies Exhibition (Foodtech 2018) will coincide with the expo. It will feature 100 booths exhibiting advanced technologies and machinery for the food processing industry.

Both events aim to speed up technology flows and improve productivity and value in the food processing industry by increasing the efficiency of trade promotion.

A number of events such as the Viet Nam Food Forum, a seminar on investment promotion in the food processing industry and a Saigon international cooking contest and business matching will be held on the sidelines of the events.

This year, the Netherlands has been selected as the Country of Honour at the expo.

Many Dutch companies will bring modern technologies and some of the country’s unique products to the event, Dutch consul in HCM City, Carel Richter, said.

Thuy said the Vietnam Foodexpo, the country’s largest international trade promotion event in the field of agricultural products, seafood and food, would actively promote the strength and image of the local food industry and spur technological innovation for improving labour productivity, quality and safety in production, processing and trading of agricultural products, foodstuffs and beverages.

The event would also allow enterprises to promote their products and services and gain access to domestic and foreign markets, she said.

To be held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre, the expos are expected to welcome over 20,000 visitors. — VNS