The fifth edition of Vitafoods Asia, the only event dedicated to the nutraceutical, functional food and beverages, and dietary supplement industries in Asia, ended on a high note in early September, after 2 days of productive business discussions and enriching learning activities at the AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong.
This year, more than 135 international suppliers – such as Chr. Hansen, Monteloeder and OptiSlim – presented their latest ingredients and innovations to 2345 visitors from a pan-Asian audience. Visitors represented brands such as Dole, Vitasoy, AS Watsons, Blackmores and PepsiCo, as well as an increasing number of distributors actively seeking ingredients, raw materials and finished products.
Commenting on what he found noteworthy at Vitafoods Asia this year, Chris Lee, Vitafoods Portfolio Director, said: 'There were some recurring themes in our conversations with people at the event, such as the idea of managing transitions between life stages, the probiotics segment and the immense interest in regulatory updates. We’re very heartened to repeatedly see full-house attendance at the Global Market Theatre sessions, and to receive positive feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike on the new Tasting Bar Awards. Above all, however, what’s most fulfilling for us is the general sense that our event has facilitated business, and therefore met the industry’s needs and expectations.'
On-point and effective platformsAt the newly initiated Global Market Theatre, attendees were offered thorough market overviews and regulatory framework workshops, as well as the latest advances in R&D. Presented as how-to guides, these complimentary sessions empowered visitors with the knowledge to plan their market entry strategies for specific countries (China, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia) and regions (Europe and the USA).
International consultancy, EAS Strategies, had the chance to engage the audience in several sessions at the Global Market Theatre, and Yi Fan Jiang, Adviser for Regulatory Affairs, said: 'Judging from the turnout we had, there was clearly an overwhelming interest in the topics we spoke about, particularly on market-entry requirements for bringing health products and ingredients to various markets, as well as the changing market and regulatory environments. This was a terrific platform for us to share our knowledge because the programme was well designed, and Vitafoods Asia brought in the right audience for effective sharing to take place. We look forward to meeting with the industry in a similar fashion in the future.'
One of Vitafoods Asia’s most popular visitor attractions, the New Products Zone showcased more than 75 functional food and drinks, dietary supplements, ingredients and raw materials by international manufacturers. The feature area highlighted products that were launched in the last 12 months and made it easier for attendees to identify industry trends. Dannial Hsu, Vice President of LICA Enterprises Group (Taiwan), shared: 'As a distributor, I’m here to identify the industry’s latest trends and developments. In that way, the New Products Zone is perfect for me. I’ve been to almost every edition, and I see a greater variety of offerings as well as exhibitors of higher quality this year.'
Also making waves on the show floor were the Tasting Bar and the inaugural Best Functional Beverage and Best Functional Food Awards. Located within the Finished Products Pavilion, the bar housed a total of 16 food items and 10 drinks, which contended for visitors’ votes during the 2-day event. Attendees were free to sample and compare a selection of the finished products on display at the show.
America's Naturals LLC’s energy drink, NERGIA Tangerine, and Health-Love Co., Ltd’s Dr Esther Queen product, a pomegranate jelly that alleviates menopausal symptoms, eventually emerged as winners with the most number of votes within each category.
Happy with their victory, Kathleen Brock, Vice President at America’s Naturals, expressed: 'Marketing opportunities within the show like the Tasting Bar has helped us tremendously. It’s our second time back at Vitafoods Asia, and we like that the show targets an audience that’s relevant for our business.'
In addition, a closed-door session for senior Chinese hosted buyers was organised for them to meet with a select group of exhibitors at Vitafoods Asia. Steve Dillingham, Global Director for US-based AlaskOmega Ingredients, was pleased with the airtime he had with the guests, and expressed optimism in gaining new deals from the interactions that he had at the session.
Cognitively engaging content and sessions
The Vitafoods Asia Conference returned with a brand new format and an increase in content offering in its second run this year. Focused on the theme of ‘Translating Science into Good Business,’ the conference had content divided into two distinct, parallel streams – Your Business and Your Science – that ran concurrently. Delegates were able to attend sessions under either track, which allowed them to customise their learning accordingly.
Dean Sallmann, Technical and Marketing Manager at Bio Concepts (Australia), welcomed this change readily. He revealed: 'I thought the Vitafoods Asia Conference offered a nice blend of content, comprising both business and technical topics, which is exactly what I need in my role.'
To cover the sessions offered under both streams, several companies sent multiple delegates to attend the conference, according to their staff’s job function. Winnie Areño, Assistant Vice President at Philkraft Wellness Corporation (Philippines), shared that she gained tremendous insights from the speakers and was glad to have her team attend the conference with her.
Natasha D’Costa, Associate Director at Frost & Sullivan (New Zealand), stated: 'I was very pleased to have been invited to speak, because Vitafoods Asia is a leader in the nutraceutical events arena. It’s a great opportunity for us to understand what the industry wants, and what it is going through. I’m glad our workshop format was well received by the delegates and that many were happy with the outcome.'
The sixth edition of Vitafoods Asia will be held from 1-2 September 2016 at the AsiaWorld-Expo, Hong Kong. For more information on the definitive exhibition for the nutraceutical, functional food and beverages, and dietary supplement industries, please visit www.vitafoodsasia.com.