Food Expo and four concurrent events kick off next week; Presenting all-new pavilions; 90% of exhibitors accept consumption vouchers
Written by The Chronicle
Under the overarching theme "Living a New Style", the four fairs will present close to 1,000 exhibitors, featuring a wide array of global gourmet foods and various new products. In addition, the International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM), organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) together with the HKTDC and eight scientific research institutions, will be held at the same venue on 11 and 12 August to deliver professional Chinese medicine insights into the industry.
The 32nd Food Expo, the eighth Home Delights Expo, the sixth Beauty and Wellness Expo and the 13th Hong Kong International Tea Fair will open at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 11 August, running alongside the International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products. Sophia Chong, HKTDC Acting Executive Director, introduced key highlights of the five events at a press conference today
Introducing details of the five events at a press conference today, Sophia Chong, HKTDC Acting Executive Director, said: "The Food Expo is an eagerly awaited annual event in Hong Kong that has been well received by the public for more than 30 years. This year, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), we have invited 13 star chefs to conduct cooking demonstrations of 25 dishes as one of the key highlights. The second phase of the Consumption Voucher Scheme and the recent opening of the Exhibition Centre MTR station will help attract more people to attend the concurrent events and enjoy a one-stop shopping experience.”
The Food Expo offers a wide range of products for those who enjoy indulging in a variety of international cuisines, including Ethiopia Sidama (natural) coffee beans, ice cream with no added sugar and Thai green curry vegan chicken
Food Expo (11-15 August) – a global culinary journey
The32ndedition of the Food Expo presents the Public Hall, Gourmet Zone and Trade Zone to showcase the finest international cuisines. The Gourmet Zone will be open to the public for four days (11-14 August) and will feature90 exhibitors presenting the best of Asian and European cuisines, desserts, organic foods, fine coffee and more. A new theme, Beer Cheers, will enable the public to explore quality beers from a number of local craft breweries.
The Public Hall, with more than 430 exhibitors, is a five-day international culinary extravaganza where the Premium Food zone will feature more than 20 renowned brands, including Maxims, Tai Pan, Nissin, Sau Tao, Tao Ti, WH Group, On Kee Dry Seafood and newcomers, such as BGS. In addition, a number of organisations are setting up group pavilions to promote quality goods directly to consumers, including Hong Kong & Kowloon Provisions, Wine & Spirit Dealers’ Association x Nam Pak Hong Association, Beverage and Food Community, Hong Kong People and Brands, Korean Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Food Science and Technology Association, Hong Kong General Chamber of Wine & Spirits and theHong Kong Wine and Spirits Association . Overseas group pavilions set up through local representatives, including the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Chongqing Municipality from Mainland China, plus the Aomori Prefecture of Japan, Japan External Trade Organization and Indonesia, will present local specialities and different culinary cultures.
Food and beverage specialities at the Food Expo include cold brew coffee made withsingle-origin Ethiopia Sidama (natural) coffee beans, ice cream with no added sugar, and LEAVES Sarawak 3-layer milk tea from Malaysia. Given the growing popularity of vegetarian food, the expo has also sourced a wide range of sustainable and healthy vegetarian options, including Thai green curry vegan chicken, plant-based golden nuggets and plant-based crab cakes.
The Trade Zone (11-13 August) will feature more than 100 exhibitors and multiple group pavilions, including a number of provinces from Mainland China, such as Zhejiang, Hubei as well as the Sichuan online pavilion,and more. Featured products include Shaoxing Huadiao wine from Zhejiang, wild camellia oil from Hubei and truffle wine from Sichuan. The three-day exhibition is open to both industry buyers and public ticket holders.
To celebrate the HKSAR’s 25th anniversary, 13 star chefs will perform cooking demonstrations of 25 dishes. They include Executive Chef Ho Wai-sing of The Royal Garden Chinese Restaurant, Chinese Chef de Cuisine Ho Chun-hung of Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Sha Tin, Founder of Hung's Delicacies Lai Wai-hung and Executive Chef Will Leung of 1111. In collaboration with the Environment and Ecology Bureau’s Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugars in Food, and the Centre for Food Safety, the expo will invite famous chefs to demonstrate "less salt and less sugar" recipesto encourage healthy eating in the city. Other activities being held during the expo include seminars on food technology and the introduction of restaurants from the EatSmart Restaurant Star+ Campaign.
Home Delights Expo (11-15 August) – building the ideal smart home
The eighth Home Delights Expo will showcase a wide range of smart home products, kitchen appliances, kitchenware, tableware, furniture and household products. The Avenue of Delights will feature nearly 40 exhibitors and several lifestyle brands, including Towngas, ZWILLING JA Henckels, Rasonic, A-Fontane, Tiger, German Pool and Zhang Xiao Quan. In addition, the expo will present various innovative products, including an ultra-small window cleaning robot (Wi-Fi version), an EMS and heating soother with eight connectors, an intelligent ionic 3D oscillating air circulation fan,a smart healthy pot, and more.
This year, the Hong Kong Furniture and Decoration Trade Association pavilion will showcase home design elements that integrate technology in various living situations to create the ideal smart home. In addition, the Creative Corner will introduce several innovative products from local start-ups, including handmade wooden frame glasses, a European birch grinder, and an iced tea candle.
Beauty & Wellness Expo (11-15 August) – revitalising beauty inside and out
The sixth Beauty & Wellness Expo will showcase a wide range of beauty and fitness products. In addition to the four major pavilions hosted by the Federation of Beauty Industry HK, Hong Kong Hair & Beauty Merchants Association, International Beauty & Health General Union, and The Cosmetic & Perfumery Association of Hong Kong Ltd, there will also be new pavilions formed by the Hong Kong China Federation of Bodybuilding & Fitness Limited and International Beauty Professionals Validation Association. The expo will feature a wide range of products for those looking for a healthy lifestyle, including an organic juicy makeup remover, an aroma bubble bath bomb and a total body portable gym. Several exciting events will be held during the expo, including a talk by diet therapy, health and beauty expert Yoko Tsang on the new normal for skincare.
International Tea Fair (11-13 August) – celebrating the art of tea
The 13th Hong Kong International Tea Fair brings a variety of exceptional products, such as Yunnan Taetea and Hong Kong-style milk tea home brew sets. The fair also features the Hubei pavilion, bringing its famous local teas to the city. KamCha will also share his valuable insights into brewing Hong Kong-style milk tea.
This year, both the Hong Kong International Tea Fair and the Trade Zone of the Food Expo will adopt EXHIBITION+, the brand-new hybrid exhibition model,allowing global food and tea buyers to simultaneously conduct business through the physical exhibition and online platform. Exhibitors and buyers who cannot attend the fairs in person can actively browse AI-recommended leads, search partners proactively, and send meeting requests for video conferences through Click2Match, the smart business-matching platform, up to seven days before the fairs.
ICMCM (11-12 August) – experts discuss Chinese medicine based new drug innovations
The Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association together with the HKTDC and eight scientific research institutions have joined together to present the latest International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM),providinginvaluable Chinese medicine information and insights for industry participants. This year’s theme is "Innovative Drug Development and Clinical Research in Chinese Medicine", featuring 17 keynote speakers, including experts from the United States, Australia, Austria, Germany, Japan, Mainland China and Hong Kong, who will discuss research results and share successful cases of integrating Chinese and Western medicines. The conference will run in a hybrid format with physical and online sessions to facilitate exchange of ideas among participants and the speakers.
Support for consumption voucher payment and daily lucky draw
With the second phase of the Consumption Voucher Scheme to be disbursed before the fairs, the HKTDC has been encouraging exhibitors to use electronic payment systems. A survey of exhibitors at the four fairs conducted by the HKTDC showed that more than 90% of them will accept at least one consumption voucher payment method for the convenience of the public. In addition, the newlivestreaming sessions, created in partnership with livestreaming platform LOOPLIVE, will have key opinion leaders (KOLs) broadcast live about highlighted products and shopping privileges on the LOOPLIVE app before and during the fairs.
The “Buy-more-get-more Lucky Draw” will be held daily during the exhibition period with prizes including household products, skincare products, gourmet food, health products and fitness classes. Spending HK$200 or more on a single receipt gives visitors one entry into the lucky draw, with a maximum of five entries per receipt. The HKTDC has launched the “August Happy Buy” website, keeping the public up to date on the latest shopping news and various flash sales, including a HK$1 chicken pot, abalone noodle gift boxes and snowy durian mooncakes. Attendees can also download some 200 e-coupons in advance to enjoy all the special offers at the exhibitions.
Safety arrangements for visitors
Safety is a top priority for the HKTDC, and various measures will be put in place to protect participants against the pandemic, including requiring everyone entering and staying in the fairground to wear a mask; not allowing eating, drinking and sample tasting in the fairground; setting up temperature-screening stations; providing hand sanitiser at multiple locations around the venue; and stepping up the cleaning and disinfection of exhibitors’ booths and the venue itself. All exhibition visitors will be required to use the LeaveHomeSafe mobile app to scan the venue QR code and present their Vaccine Pass at the fair entrance.
Physical ticket sales for the August exhibitions will not be available at the fairground to avoid cash usage and minimise contact. Visitors can pay with their Octopus card at the entrance toll booths to gain entry. To spread the flow of visitors and encourage the public to visit the exhibitions during non-peak hours, the HKTDC has introduced morning and night admission tickets at special prices. Details of the ticketing arrangements can be found below.
HKTDC Food Expo Public Hall, HKTDC Home Delights Expo, HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo: 11 to 15 August (Thursday to Monday)
HKTDC Food Expo Gourmet Zone: 11 to 14 August (Thursday to Sunday)
HKTDC Food Expo Trade Zone, Hong Kong International Tea Fair: 11 to 13 August (Thursday to Saturday)
Opening hours
11 to 14 August: 10am-10pm (HKTDC Food Expo Trade Zone and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair will end at 6pm on 13 August)
15 August: 10am-6pm
Venue
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, Wan Chai
Admission
HKTDC Food Expo Public Hall, HKTDC Food Expo Trade Zone, HKTDC Home Delights Expo, HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo, HKTDC Hong Kong International Tea Fair: HK$25
The above exhibitions plus the Food Expo Gourmet Zone: HK$40
Morning admission tickets: (entry before noon on 11, 12 and 15 August, Thursday, Friday and Monday): HK$10 (pay directly by Octopus for admission at the hall entrances only) Note: Morning admission ticket-holders can pay a top-up fee of HK$15 for admission to the Gourmet Zone on the same day.
Night admission tickets (entry after 6pm on 11, 12, 13 and 14 August, Thursday to Sunday): HK$10 (pay directly by Octopus for admission at the hall entrances only) Note: Night admission ticket-holders can pay a top-up fee of HK$15 for admission to the Gourmet Zone on the same night.
Concessionary price for persons with disabilities: HK$10 (top-up fee for the Gourmet Zone on the same day is HK$10) Note: Persons with disabilities need to present a “Registration Card for Persons with Disabilities”, issued by the Labour and Welfare Bureau (pay directly by Octopus for admission at the hall entrances only).
Tourist tickets: HK$20 (HK$30 including admission to the Gourmet Zone) Note: Tourists need to present valid travel documents at the fairground to purchase tickets.
Free admission for children aged three and under, and senior citizens aged 65 or above (presenting a Senior Citizen Card or valid age proof)
Tickets
Tickets are now available at the Hong Kong Ticketing website, purchase hotline and the Box Office at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.
E-tickets are also available for sale at the 01 Space e-ticketing platform, 7-Eleven stores, Circle K stores, via Neigbuy and the Octopus App.
