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IFEX Philippines 2018: PH’s Biggest Food Trade Show Opens May 25-27 at WTCMM, PTTC

The International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food and ingredient show, welcomes food buyers and enthusiasts as it opens for its 12th edition on May 25 to May 27 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC).

Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest and most respected food trade show for Asian heritage food and ingredients. It is the premier export food event for emerging micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), as well as esteemed large companies, in the country.

“Now an annual event, IFEX Philippines continues to be the largest and widely anticipated food trade event in the country,” said Nora K. Terrado, DTI Undersecretary for Trade and Investments Promotion Group and CITEM Officer-in-Charge (OIC).

This year, IFEX Philippines will showcase food products from 11 different sectors, including Fresh and Processed Seafood, Alcoholic and Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Coffee, Herbal Teas and Cocoa Products; Confectionary and Bakery Products; Fresh and Processed Fruits and Vegetables, Grains, Cereals and Commodities; Herbs and Spices, Sauces and Condiments; Meat and Poultry; Natural, Healthy, Organic Products; Specialty, Ethnic and Gourmet Products; and services from the Allied Industries.

“For its 12th edition, IFEX Philippines will feature ‘the Best of the Seas’ highlighting the Philippines’ finest seafood products and cuisines to satisfy the growing global demand for marine exports, along with other exquisite food products across the globe,” added Terrado.

The three-day trade event will also host live cooking demonstrations and seminars of food experts, artisans, chefs, culinary historians, and gourmet enthusiasts from across the globe, each bringing along distinctive product offerings, knowledge, and skills at the much-awaited gustatory fete.

Last year, the three-day event was attended by nearly 11,000 international and local visitors, including 2,057 high-profile trade buyers from top global retail giants and supermarkets. These buyers came from different regions across the globe, such as Europe, China and SARs, Middle East, East Asia, America and Southeast Asia.

“For this coming May 25-27, buyers and visitors will saunter through a deeper experience and understanding of Philippine food through its multi-faceted origins in history, geography, and culture. It’s going to be one unique and exciting food journey for all our visitors,” said Terrado.

Galleries of Flavors

IFEX Philippines will house four major exhibition halls, namely the Food Philippines Hall, International Hall, Food Artisans Hall, and The Marketplace—making up a spectrum of flavors from the Philippines and all over the world.

The Food Philippines Hall features the top and emerging Philippine exporters and business support organizations (BSOs) in the food industry. Here, buyers will be able to sift through the mainstream, as well as the latest product offerings from the Philippines’ leading and promising brands.

Meanwhile, the International Hall presents the top food products and ingredients from top companies and manufacturers across the world. It will feature renowned firms from around the world, including China, Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Russia and Spain.

“IFEX Philippines will again take global trade buyers and visitors in a gastronomic overdrive that will not only satisfy their cravings for various Asian flavors, but also their thirst for a dynamic experience of the Philippine food culture, which had evolved from centuries of cross-cultural fusions and regional influences,” said Terrado.

Buyers and visitors can also relish the various local flavors and visual treats from different provinces in the Food Artisans Hall presented by the Department of Agriculture through the Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Service (DA-AMAS) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

Buyers and visitors can also drop by the Marketplace to avail in retail the premium food products ranging from fruits and vegetables to meat and poultry, seafood products, processed foods, homemade regional delicacies, as well as personal care and wellness products and allied services.

Gastronomic Adventure Across the Philippines

IFEX Philippines will also stage the Mindanao Pavilion to highlight the native flavors and in-demand products from the southernmost island region of the Philippines, in collaboration with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Agriculture (DA) regional offices, and local government offices in Mindanao.

In the Visayas Pavilion, the trade event will also feature the top food products and commodities from the provinces of Cebu and Negros Occidental as part of efforts to promote internationally the heirloom flavors and culinary tradition of the Cebuanos and Negrenses in the Visayan region.

Presented by East‐West Seed, the special exhibit of The Garden: Origin of Flavors will also put an accent in the trade event as it presents the farm‐to‐table story behind the healthy and nutritious vegetables and other crops that we eat every day to give us a full understanding and appreciation on how a good seed can change the lives of millions.

Meanwhile, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO) will also showcase in an exhibit called Agrobiodiversity Project the agri-commodities developed under the community-based enterprise initiatives in Hingyon and Hungduan in Ifugao Province and Lake Sebu in South Cotabato Province as part of the dynamic conservation and sustainable use of agro-biodiversity in traditional agro-ecosystems of the Philippines.

Inspiring Food Innovations and Seminars

Another exciting special setting is the Seafood Innovation Hub, where the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) showcases the innovative processing methods and packaging presentation of the country’s distinct seafood products developed under the Food Innovation Centers (FICs) nationwide.

The FICs were established across the country as a support to local micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to help move them up the value chain and boost their productivity towards global competitiveness.

For those in want of more inspiration and adventure, the three-day export event will also conduct cooking demonstrations of celebrated international and local chefs under IFEX Kitchen: Summit of Flavors. It will also conduct free food and beverage tasting activities.

Buyers and visitors can also take part in a series of exciting and engaging discussions on the latest trends and innovations in the food industry with renowned experts, researchers and lecturers, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry-Export Marketing Bureau (DTI-EMB), Department of Agriculture (DA), Management Association of the Philippines – AgriBusiness and Countryside Development Foundation, Inc. (MAP-ABCDF), East‐West Seed, Organic Producer Trade Association, Hong Kong Productivity Council and other institutional partners.

The 12th edition of IFEX Philippines is organized by the DTI‐CITEM in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA), through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and the Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (AMAS).

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