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Seafood Expo Asia is where top seafood buyers and sellers meet and do business in the lucrative Asian market.
Hong Kong in the Spotlight as Seafood Expo Asia Returns
(HONG KONG, 6/25/2015)
Highly regarded as one of the industry’s most influential trade events, Seafood Expo Asia will introduce an expanded programme of special events and networking opportunities when the exposition returns for its sixth edition at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8-10 September, 2015.
In 2014, the event welcomed more than 200 exhibiting companies and over 8,600 seafood buyers and suppliers from 71 countries. Aside from providing visitors with the opportunity to taste and explore the finest fish and seafood from different regions of the world, the 2015 exposition organized by Diversified Communications will serve as a professional forum that brings together the entire seafood industry for three days of business, networking and in-depth discussions.
After a successful fifth edition, Seafood Expo Asia, formerly the Asian Seafood Exposition, will return to Hong Kong from 8-10 September 2015.
With Hong Kong serving as the gateway to China, the fastest growing aquaculture market in the world, a focus of this year’s event will be to deliver valuable industry insight and facilitate meaningful business introductions to assist overseas companies looking to expand into China’s thriving seafood market which a 2015 Technavio research publication states will be valued at US$ 100 billion by 2019.
With the increasing demand for seafood in Asia, buyers need a place to turn to source live, fresh and frozen seafood from international and local resources more than ever.
“As China’s middle class continues to grow, Chinese consumers are increasingly looking to purchase imported fish and seafood products,” says Ms. Liz Plizga, Seafood Group Vice President for Diversified Communications. “The exposition offers seafood suppliers the opportunity to sell a variety of live, frozen fresh or value-added products to meet this increasing consumer demand.”
Over three days, seafood buyers connect with exhibitors offering a variety of live, fresh, frozen and value-added seafood products and seafood-related services and equipment.
According to a 2014 Global Trade Atlas report, China imported US$ 8.4 billion worth of seafood from around the world in 2013, an increase of 8.9% over 2012. A 2014 Euromonitor study also reveals that China’s consumption of particularly fresh fish and shellfish has been steadily increasing in volume since 2008, reaching 36.6 million tonnes in 2013. This equates to a compound annual growth rate of 4.6%.
In 2014, the event welcomed more than 200 exhibiting companies and over 8,600 seafood buyers and suppliers from 71 countries.
In terms of Hong Kong, Ms. Plizga remarks that the territory is a major buying centre and transshipment point for not only China, but also Southeast Asia. “The presence of a large number of seafood importers, distributors, logistics companies and storage facilities, make Hong Kong an ideal destination for both the import and re-export of high value fish and seafood.”
“Another trend we are seeing in Hong Kong is the growing popularity of seafood ready meals,” continues Ms. Plizga stating that this development is most prevalent amongst young people who are increasingly relying on these types of meals. “In response, we expect greater innovation within the trade as it seeks to create new recipes and flavour combinations to meet growing demand for convenient meals.”
The 2015 exposition will serve as a professional forum that brings together the entire seafood industry for three days of business, networking and in-depth discussions.
A further observation is that while both wet market and supermarket sales are increasing, supermarkets are taking a more significant share of total sales with some retail chains in Hong Kong introducing dedicated live fish and seafood counters particularly in their superstores. In parallel, processed, chilled, frozen and canned seafood is becoming more widely available in supermarkets, and as annual seafood consumption per person continues to increase, retail sales of these items are expected to grow.
“According to the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, between 2010 and 2014, imported seafood into Hong Kong grew by 20%,” remarks Ms. Plizga. “To help the industry adapt to changing market conditions, we have created special areas within the 2015 event to concentrate on specific sections of the trade from hotel and restaurant chefs, to retailers and supermarkets.”
According to a 2014 Global Trade Atlas report, China imported US$ 8.4 billion worth of seafood from around the world in 2013, an increase of 8.9% over 2012.
Ms. Plizga points out that high quality fish and seafood is also not simply a matter of good taste alone. “Given that Asian markets have an insatiable appetite for fish and shellfish, amounting to approximately two-thirds of the world’s total consumption, consumers are looking for good quality seafood that is nutritious, ethically harvested and sustainably produced.”
Given the growing interest around responsibly caught and farmed seafood, industry experts will convene at Seafood Expo Asia to discuss the latest trends, developments and updates on aquaculture sustainability and how to protect the ocean’s health.
About Seafood Expo Asia
Formerly called the Asian Seafood Exposition, Seafood Expo Asia is a trade event where buyers and suppliers of seafood from around the world come together to network and conduct business in the lucrative Hong Kong and Asia-Pacific markets. The event’s sixth edition takes place from 8-10 September 2015 at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre in Wanchai, Hong Kong.
(HONG KONG, 6/25/2015)
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