AsiaFood Expo raises bar for PH in culinary, beverage industry

MANILA, Philippines – They started with just 80 booths.

What started modestly at the Philippine Trade Training Center and Golden Shell Pavilion 20 years ago, the AsiaFood Expo (AFEX) moved to Philippine International Convention Center where it started to gain recognition from foreign manufacturers, and eventually at the World Trade Center in 1997.

The goal of the AFEX when it started, said the organizer LNA Management Group, was to provide the country “with access to technological advancements, resources and expertise, with the simple objective of making this industry productive and globally competitive.

This year, participants rose to 520 booths from 26 countries at the AFEX 2011 held on a three-day event last week at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, said LNA Management Group Executive Vice President Josephine Miranda.

The event was a showcase of  top-of-the-line machines for packaging, food processing, service equipment, sources of kitchen and baking equipment, manufacturers and distributors of food ingredients, specialized technical, production & food presentation, culinary activities, and cooking demonstrations, the LNA said.

The event hopes to make the Philippines at par with countries that have set standards in the food and beverage industry.

“It is through trade expos, as participated in by countries and traders, that we are able to drive and propel growth in our respective economies,” said guest of honor Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos.

The Production and Operations Management Association in the Philippines, a non-profit organization composed of manufacturing professionals and businesses, also joined this year’s AFEX. Joining the AFEX 2011 meant that PROMAP stands in their goal of helping out “sustain a high-performance manufacturing presence” which is a crucial element to the economic strength of the country, the LNA said.

Prior to the AFEX, Food and Drinks Asia, an international food show of local and imported foods, delicatessen, wine and beer, among others, was also held on its 15^th year at the World Trade Center on September 2 to 5, the LNA said.

Grocery Asia, an international expo on supermarket, grocery, and convenience stores supplies, systems, business solutions and technology, was also launched.

“We are now working in partnership with various industry associations in order to better serve and cater to our entrepreneurs with all the industry aspects they may need in pushing their business to success; promoting homegrown culinary talents and expertise that we may produce the next best generation of culinary professionals; at the same time, we continue to join forces with different product experts in order to impart to our aspiring and existing entrepreneurs firsthand knowledge thru the seminars and product demos that we conduct in Asia Food Expo and Food & Drinks Asia each year,” the LNA said.

As the food industry will always be in high demand whatever the season, the LNA now gives AFEX a different purpose. “We believe that AsiaFood has already achieved what we aimed for when we started this exhibition. Now it is time for us to move forward as Filipinos, to expand, to share, to work together, and help one another rather than branch out and diversify.”