4 May 2015 – The 30th Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair and the 10th Hong Kong International Printing & Packaging Fair ended their four-day run last week (27-30 April) at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) and AsiaWorld-Expo (AWE) respectively. The two fairs welcomed nearly 66,000 buyers. Close to 52,000 buyers visited the Gifts Fair, while over 14,000 buyers attended the Printing & Packaging Fair. Buyer numbers from certain Asian markets, including Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam, and European buyers from Poland and Switzerland, recorded double-digit percentage growth.
Premium Markets
During the Gifts Fair, the HKTDC commissioned an independent onsite survey agency, interviewing close to 1,000 buyers and exhibitors about their views on market prospects and product trends. The survey found that more than 80 per cent of respondents expect overall sales to remain the same or improve in 2015, compared to last year. The majority of respondents consider the Chinese mainland to have the highest growth potential, followed by North America and Western Europe.
In terms of product trends, most respondents expect advertising gifts and premium products to have the strongest growth potential this year, followed by tech gifts and figurines & decorations. Meanwhile, consumers are increasingly focused on product quality, pricing and cosmetic design.
“Consumers have focused on brands, product design and originality in recent years. The pursuit of green living is also becoming a major trend. In view of the ever-changing market environment and consumers with high expectations, retailers must look for new products which are best suited to different markets,” said HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau. “The Gifts Fair and Printing & Packaging Fair gathered over 4,600 exhibitors from 38 countries and regions, showcasing various giftware and printing and packaging products. The fairs provide an ideal marketing and sourcing platform for global buyers.”
Global Sourcing Platform
Vertex Trading, a market-leading promotional and corporate gifts company headquartered in Dubai, is the sole agent of many internationally renowned brands in the Middle East. Sufiyan Gaima, operations representative, said the company has been visiting the Gifts Fair for the past 10 years to source new items from a diverse range of international exhibitors. “This year is no exception. I have spotted some exciting products like Bluetooth chargers, power banks and USB memory sticks at the fairground. We have placed orders for customised products and promotional items from exhibitors from Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Malaysia and Thailand. We have also met high-end product suppliers from Germany, Belgium, France, Spain and the Netherlands.”
Jae Hoon Park is the Processed Foods Partner of Korea’s Shinsegae Department Store. Visiting the fair for the first time, he said: “The Gifts Fair is the world’s largest fair of its kind and I can find a line-up of trendy products here. I have spotted some potential suppliers at the fair as well. In the business matching session, I meet with four Hong Kong exhibitors and one Australian supplier. Our company used to source mainly in Germany and Japan, but after this trip, we may rethink our strategy to see if part of the sourcing budget can be shifted to Hong Kong.”
Visiting the Printing & Packaging Fair for the first time, Surasith Chaipiyawutirux, the Marketing Director of a Thai manufacturer of spa products Oriental Aroma, said the fair gathered suppliers with flexibility in minimum orders as well as competitive pricing and high quality. “I’ve established contacts with three to five potential suppliers from the Chinese mainland. We aim to finalise agreements with one or two of them. The amount of initial orders will be about US$100,000. This trip proved to be rewarding,” he added.
Onsite Orders
The Jingdezhen Bureau of Commerce led a group of exhibitors. Jingdezhen J.B Porcelain Development was an exhibitor at the inaugural “Fine Porcelain Gifts” zone. Fan Qi Hua, the company’s General Manager, said this was the company’s first time exhibiting at the fair with the aim of showcasing heat-proof ceramic pots to more Asian markets. “The fair is an international hub which provides us with a chance to reach out to more new customers. In the first two days at the fair, we have already started negotiation with some Japanese and Singaporean buyers. A long-time client from Hong Kong even reached us at the fairground and placed an order that is worth over three million renminbi.”
Hong Kong exhibitor Kilovest’s latest silicon tote bags, marketed under the SiliBAG brand, were well-received by international buyers. The company’s Managing Director, Sam Yeung, said several new buyers from the Philippines, Australia and the United Kingdom had placed orders worth a total of US$30,000. “Another buyer from Norway expressed keen interest in representing our brand and distributing our products in Scandinavia. We will be in further talks with them. We have also established contacts with many potential buyers from other places such as Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands. They are very interested in our SiliBAG products and we will be actively following up with them. The Gifts Fair is really a perfect place to grow business.”
Canon Hongkong Co., Ltd. is a first-time participant at the Printing & Packaging Fair. The company promoted its latest printing technology at the fair. Philip Chan, Canon’s Assistant Director of Business Imaging Solution Group, said the fair is a great platform to showcase its new technology, which drew strong interest from local and international visitors and industry players. “Canon is committed to working with all business associates and industrialists to grow together. We’re very pleased to be here exploring new opportunities,” he added.
Industry Exchange
The HKTDC organised a number of product demos and launch pads during the Gifts Fair and Printing & Packaging Fair for exhibitors to introduce their new products to the global buyers. A number of exhibitor and buyer forums, seminars and networking receptions were also organised by the HKTDC for industry professionals to gather market intelligence, examine the latest product trends and build business connections.
Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:
Joe Kainz
Tel: (852) 2584 4216
Email: joe.kainz@hktdc.org
