Diners sample the food prepared in the Food&HotelAsia trade show.

Filipino buyers looking for new product sources and equipment, seeking foreign partnerships and joint ventures, and wanting to know of developments in the Asian food and hospitality industry would find the Food and Hotel Asia 2008 relevant to their needs.

Taking place in Singapore from April 22 to 25, the FHA 2008 is the largest food and hospitality event in Asia Pacific. The 70,000-square-meter exhibition area covers seven halls, hosts 3,300 participants from 60 countries, and attracts more than 38,500 trade buyers worldwide.

This year’s impressive list of visitors include Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre, McDonald’s Restaurants, Shangri-La International Hotel Management, Singapore Airlines, and Starbucks Coffee, as well as locally based Jollibee Foods Corp.

Among the special events in this year’s show are the Food Asia 2008, for fresh produce, poultry and meat/halal meat, dairy, and health and organic food; Wine & Spirits, where buyers can find champagne and sparkling wines, fortified and aromatized wines, liqueurs and cocktails, and spirits and still wines; and Bakery & Pastry for ingredients, bakery and pastry craft, plant and industrial equipment, packaging, and storage and refrigeration.

At the Hotel Asia, visitors can check out bar and coffee equipment and supplies, food service, vending and dispensing equipment, laundry and refrigeration, and storage systems.

Buyers will find furnishing and fixtures, outdoor furniture, tableware and accessories, lighting, solutions for contract furnishing and interior design, and equipment for guest amenities, fitness and leisure at the HospitalityStyleAsia.

A new addition to the FHA 2008 is the Hospitality Technology, which offers solutions for POS, property management, Internet applications, food and beverage management, telecommunications, in-room, payroll, accounting, broadband access, reservation, and computer hardware systems.

Strategic platform for Pinoy businesses
With the tourism boom and increased advancements in the service industry in the Philippines, the FHA2008 will be a strategic platform for Filipino businesses to find new sources of supplies, upgrade their equipment, or even meet new partners, said Stephen Tan, chief executive of Singapore Exhibition Services, organizer of the food and hospitality show.

The exhibit is also a good launch pad to bring Philippine products and solutions to the rest of Asia, Tan added.

One exhibitor representing the Philippines is Franklin Baker, an exporter of dessicated, creamed, sweetened coconut, concentrate, and other byproducts.

Juan Patag, the company’s representative, says Franklin Baker spent more than P200,000 for its 96-square-meter booth at the FHA2008, including other incidental expenses, but considers this a part of “opening doors to foreign companies. “

Franklin Baker regularly participates in similar food exhibitions in the US, which absorbs 80 percent of the company’s exports.

To preregister or find more information, visit the Food&HotelAsia2008 Website