FAIR GO

“The key to the matter is for producers, local or otherwise, to understand what they are trying to achieve through such participation, Evans told FOOD Magazine.

“If their objectives include export sales, then the international trade fair format offers unique opportunities to help them build their business. On the flip side, one tends to find a good concentration of local or domestic buyers attending large international events - this in turn offers a local producer new contact with customers (existing and new) from his own country.”

Alimentaria event director Tony Valls agrees and adds that the objectives of any company attending an exhibition need to be aligned with the positioning of the show attended.

“The impact and the international projection of the show will always count with the local, regional and national environment,” Valls said.

“For a local processor, attending an overseas event makes sense as long a niche market is detected.”

Even international trade fairs attract a large number of local attendance, says Reed Exhibitions industry vice president Steven Kalman: “That can be extremely beneficial to ones business depending on objectives.”

International Food exhibitions are certainly worthwhile exercises for Australian companies, according to Fine Food Australia exhibition director Timothy Collett.

“They give suppliers the chance to meet hundreds of buyers in a short time-span,” Collett said.

“These buyers will come to the show looking for particular products and will hunt out new suppliers. It is a very focused and professional environment that will generate new business if companies manage the exercise correctly.”

According to Austrade, international trade fairs range in focus from broad food fairs such as Foodex, Tokyo to more category specific fairs such as ISM Cologne with a focus on confectionery, or ESE Brussels with a focus on seafood, or they may cover a specific market segment such as IFIA Japan with a focus on food ingredients and additives that targets food manufacturers.

The audience attracted to a fair may vary – some events are open to the general public, while others may be for trade only.

While there are many food and beverage industry specific trade fairs in overseas markets, domestic trade fairs with an international focus are also useful marketing avenues.

For example, each year in September Australia’s largest food industry event takes place - the Fine Food exhibition, which is a trade specific exhibition held over four days. This year it will be held in Melbourne from 6-9 September. This event provides the opportunity for Australian food and beverage companies supplying to the manufacturing, food service and retail channels to promote their products to both domestic and international buyers.

Last year’s event held in Sydney attracted more than 26,000 buyers, 300 of which were accompanied by offshore Austrade staff. More than 1,900 international visitors attended the event.

The benefits

Participating in an international food and beverage trade fair can be an effective part of an integrated international marketing strategy for Australian food and beverage companies.

International trade fairs can increase your exposure and enable you to physically demonstrate your product, provide opportunities for networking and to learn more about the market, according to Austrade.

Many food and beverage trade fairs attract large crowds.

“For example, the biggest food exhibition in the world, ANUGA, held in Germany, is a six day fest of food and beverage attracting over 200,000 visitors from the across the globe,” an Austrade spokesperson told FOOD Magazine.

“That’s 30,000 people through the doors each day.”

Exhibitions are cost-effective marketing activities where companies have the chance to meet face-to-face with customers.

“In a very short space of time and in one location, there are countless opportunities to research the market, check out the competition and see the latest worldwide industry trends,” Austrade said.

“With food especially, it’s a buyer’s chance to taste, see, feel and analyse the product – something the telephone or Internet will never replace.

“Most importantly, it’s where business is done. Food exhibitions attract senior managers from all levels of the food industry -retail, food service and processing, importers and traders, food and beverage managers of hotels and restaurants, all looking for new products to buy.”

Making the most of it

It is important, says Austrade, to fully prepare for an overseas exhibition. Researching the market, understanding your competitive framework, appraising the tariff and import procedures, packaging and health regulations, familiarising yourself with language and business customs are all very useful steps. In addition, identifying people you would like to meet with at the show and while in the market will help to focus your efforts.

There is only one reason to participate in a tradeshow, says Collett, and that is to generate new business.

“However the tradeshow is not the total answer. Companies need to have the appropriate products, they need to be ready to export and they have to follow up any leads generated at the show,” Collett told FOOD Magazine.

“What the show will do is make the introductions and shorten the sales cycle; it is rare that it will provide an actual order on the day.”

“My advice to local companies considering an overseas show is to take the project seriously and plan ahead,” Collett said.

“If possible attend an international show first as a visitor or help someone else on their stand. When you are ready to book investigate if Austrade or your State are taking a group stand, and make use of their services.”

Map out your objectives, says Kalman, and match the appropriate trade fair with them.

“Regardless of how international the event if the visitor is right for your business then you are on the right track,” Kalman said.