Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, together with the Ministry of Commerce executives, announced the success of THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2023, Asia’s leading food and beverage trade show. The event, organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion in collaboration with the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Koelnmesse GmbH, was held on a grand scale during 23-27 May 2023, covering an area of over 130,000 square meters at Impact, Muang Thong Thani. The event attracted 131,039 visitors, including buyers and importers from various countries worldwide, driving the economy with a purchasing value of 120,002.09 million baht.
Mr. Jurin stated that the success of THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2023 was achieved through strong collaboration among three parties: the Ministry of Commerce, represented by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP); the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC); and Koelnmesse GmbH.
The event showed the participation of 3,034 companies, including 1,109 Thai companies and 1,925 international companies, with a total of 5,859 booths from 45 countries. These countries included those from East Asia, ASEAN, the European Union, the United States, Australia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
Over the five days, the event attracted a total of 131,039 visitors, marking an increase of 58% compared to the previous year. Among the visitors, there were 78,764 trade visitors, with a 53% increase, and 16,429 international trade visitors, with a notable 150% increase. Specifically, Chinese trade visitors increased by 2,022%, while Malaysian trade visitors increased by 127%, Vietnamese trade visitors increased by 79%, trade visitors from the Republic of Korea increased by 109%, and trade visitors from Singapore increased by 58% increase.
Additionally, there were 62,335 Thai trade visitors, which is a 39% increase, and a remarkable 52,275 public visitors on the last day, representing a 66% increase. The total trade value generated from the event amounted to 120,002.09 million baht, with an 81% increase compared to the previous year. Immediate transactions during the event reached 1,402.06 million baht, while the total trade value within one year reached 118,600.03 million baht. The top five product and service categories in terms of trade volume were fine food, fruits & vegetables, food technology (including food processing machinery and equipment), coffee & tea, and food service (such as knowledge sharing for doing food business). Countries with the highest total purchase were China, Thailand, the United States, Malaysia, and Japan.
THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2023 plays an important role in boosting this year’s Thai food export, with a value of 1.5 trillion baht, representing an increase of 10% compared to the previous year’s value of 1.36 trillion baht.
“Thanks to the Ministry of Commerce, Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP), the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC), and Koelnmesse GmbH for their significant contribution to the success of THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2023 this year. The Ministry of Commerce has a policy to promote Thai food as global cuisine, aiming to establish Thailand as a world food security hub through food production and export support, as well as promoting the opening of Thai restaurants in other countries with certifications such as Thai SELECT. In addition, we aim to promote Thai cuisine as a soft power by disseminating Thailand’s culinary diversity.” Mr. Jurin added.
Mr. Phusit Ratanakul Sereroengrit, Director-General of the DITP, stated that future food is a global trend. Modern food entrepreneurs must possess knowledge and innovation. The Ministry of Commerce, through the Thai Trade Center in foreign countries, has studied and gathered various food trends from around the world. Moreover, the DITP has organized relevant training seminars to continuously develop capabilities of the entrepreneurs.
Mrs. Arada Fuangtong, Deputy Director-General of DITP, further explained that for the Future Food activity of this event, or Future Food Experience+, there were approximately 1,300 participants, including foreigners and Thai individuals in the food industry. Future Food is categorized into four types: functional food, novel food, organic food, and medical food. Additionally, there is a particular focus on how food waste can be utilized to maximize its benefits, which is part of the government and the Ministry of Commerce’s supported policies to promote the economy following the BCG model.
Mr. Sanan Angubolkul, Chairman of The TCC, stated that this year’s THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA was successful and received a positive response beyond expectation. The event attracted a significant number of visitors and generated substantial trade value. The key achievement was that this event provided SMEs and startups with opportunities to introduce and showcase their products and services in the international market. The feedback from the entrepreneurs showed great satisfaction to participate in the event as exhibitors. Meanwhile, there was also the great response from the international buyers visiting the event, particularly the “new food trend” emphasizing health concerns and environmentally friendly production of goods and services. The success of this event will help increase growth of Thailand’s food and beverage industry.
On the other hand, Mr. Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director and VP Asia-Pacific, Koelnmesse GmbH, remarked that we are delighted to celebrate the extraordinary success achieved at THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2023, the 19th edition. The event witnessed a number of international exhibitors marking a twofold growth compared to the previous year. Moreover, the event triumphantly welcomed overwhelming visitors, reflecting a substantial upsurge from the previous edition. The overwhelmingly positive reception from international entrepreneurs firmly establishes THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA as a preeminent leader for food and beverage trade show in Asia Pacific.
THAIFEX – ANUGA ASIA 2024 is scheduled to take place from 28 May to 1 June 2024. Entrepreneurs in the food and beverage industry who are interested in participating in the event can follow the news and updates on www.thaifex–anuga.com.
