Asia’s largest food and beverage trade show readies a bigger comeback

by John Joseph Basijan / May 5, 2023

Asia’s largest food and beverage trade show is about to get even bigger this year.

After holding scaled-down hybrid trade shows due to the pandemic, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia is preparing for its biggest and most comprehensive trade show yet on May 23 to 27 in Bangkok, Thailand. This year, more than 3,000 exhibitors from 43 countries—including those in East Asia, Southeast Asia, Europe, and the United States—will showcase their products and services at Impact Muang Thong Thani, organizers announced in a release.

Visitors can stop by 11 zones and more than 5,500 booths featuring the best of the world’s food and beverage products. Expect a diverse haven of fine food, coffee and drinks, fruits and vegetables, seafood, and sweets from all parts of the world. The event is backed by Thailand’s Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), Ministry of Commerce, along with the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and Koelnmesse (KM).

Other than sampling a smorgasbord of food and drinks, visitors can also learn about the latest trends in the industry, know more about innovative products, and even watch professional and young chefs compete in the Ultimate Chef Challenge.

Can’t fly to Bangkok in time for this year’s THAIFEX – Anuga Asia? You can still be part of the fun with its Virtual Trade Show, where you can browse through the exhibitors’ product catalogs and negotiate trade deals virtually.

Showcasing Thailand’s best

Besides being one of the first commercial events in Asia to return after the pandemic, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia also serves as a testament to Thailand’s position as one of Asia’s biggest food and beverage producers. In 2022 alone, Thailand was the 15th largest food exporter in the world, with an industry valued at 1.36 trillion baht or US$40 billion. This is as the world began to reopen its borders and the demand for food products increased across global markets.

Kitsana Vachekrilas, TCC secretary general, underscored the trade show’s importance in not only generating income for the country, but also in promoting their small and medium enterprises. Out of the 3,000 exhibitors that will participate in the event, 1,200 are Thai businesses.

“The THAIFEX – Anuga Asia event is important for Thai entrepreneurs, including large businesses, SMEs, and startups to bring their products and services to domestic and international markets. The full-scale return of the event this year has been met with positive responses from many large business operators, as it allows operators to test market viability and create business opportunities on a global level. We believe that this event will help promote the growth of Thailand’s food and beverage industry significantly,” he said.

According to Natiya Suchinda, Director of DITP’s Office of Agricultural and Industrial Trade Promotion, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2023 is expected to welcome more than 60,000 visitors from 120 countries and generate income for Thailand’s economy. Suchinda also hopes that the trade show will showcase Thailand’s potential as a leader in producing and exporting high quality food products.

“The primary goal of THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2023 is to generate immediate orders, and it is estimated to facilitate business transactions worth over 70 billion baht, with online purchases exceeding 1.5 billion baht,” Suchinda said.

What’s new this year?

Now on its 19th edition, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia continues to introduce new and exciting initiatives for its visitors. For instance, they will unveil a new trade show for businesses in the hotels, restaurants, and catering (HoReCa) industries with the THAIFEX- HORECA Asia exhibition.

The trade show will also champion sustainability by presenting environmentally conscious production methods in food production. To set an example, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia has taken steps such as reducing printed materials, eliminating carpets along the trade halls, rolling out e-badges instead of physical lanyards, and repurposing banners into reusable bags for charity. 

Phusit Sasitaranondha, KM Thailand co-founder and managing director, expressed his commitment to holding an environment-friendly trade show. “We understand the importance of responsible resource management and are consistently setting clearer goals to execute a resource-friendly trade show. Our ultimate goal is to lead the way and inspire others to join us on this journey towards a greener future,” he said.

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