Meat Expo China 2015 reinforced as a gateway into China’s meat and meat processing market

International Summit on the Development of the Meat Industry 2015 facilitated knowledge exchange

The 11th edition of Meat Expo China, the leading international trade exhibition for China’s meat industry, ended on a high note. The show was held from 25 – 27 November 2015 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center and represented a successful inaugural joint partnership between the two organisers, Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd and the Circulation Industry Promotion Center (CIPC) of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China.

Over its three-day run, the show attracted 108 companies from 5 countries and regions to showcase the latest slaughtering, meat processing and packaging technologies and equipment as well as high-quality meat and meat-based products. The exhibitors occupied 12,600 sqm of exhibition space and welcomed 5,088 visitors from 37 countries and regions, including Australia, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mongolia, Russia, Spain, South Africa and the United States.

Mr Richard Li, General Manager of Messe Frankfurt (Shanghai) Co Ltd, commented: “The organisers’ combined efforts to put on the Meat Expo China 2015 were a success. Utilising our widely recognised expertise in fair management, we set out to elevate this well-regarded domestic show into a comprehensive global event. Overall, I am pleased with the results and believe the show’s international footprint will continue to grow for years to come.”

CIPC’s Deputy Director, Mr Zhou Qiang, was also positive about the joint collaboration. He revealed next year’s plan and explained: “The advantageous cooperation with Messe Frankfurt not only made the 2015 show more professional and adaptive to the market, but it also raised the show’s brand value. In 2016, in addition to co-organising Meat Expo China, we will extend the collaboration to IFFA in Frankfurt, Germany for Chinese exhibitor recruitment. We trust that the synergies between IFFA and Meat Expo China will be mutually beneficial and ultimately boost industry development in China.”

Fair reinforced as a gateway into China’s meat and meat processing market

Due to the Chinese government’s stricter regulations on food safety and hygiene, slaughterhouses, butchering facilities and meat processers are encouraged to invest in higher technologies, automated machinery and more cost-effective management systems. For many suppliers, particularly those from overseas, Meat Expo China serves as a springboard for tapping the huge meat market in China.

Watanabe Foodmach Sales (Shanghai) Co Ltd made its first appearance at the 2015 fair. The Japanese-funded company showcased its latest remodelled version, the Chop-cutter Vortex, of a renowned frozen meat slicer which operates at extremely high speeds and accuracy. Mr Wang Ping, the firm’s Deputy General Manager, said: “We were invited by Messe Frankfurt and we think the show is a good platform to advertise our machinery and brand to the Chinese market. We feel positive about the market growth in China despite the recent slowdown of the economy. Our sales in China are doing well and we see great potential in the market since the demand for high-quality machinery remains high. This was reflected at the fair and many buyers were looking for high-performance equipment and showed interest in our displays.”

Another first-time exhibitor, E.K. Prima Exports Hong Kong Ltd, is an exporter of frozen meats from India. Mr Nirose P.M., General Manager of the company, shared: “Meat Expo China marks our first step into the Chinese market. We are attracted to Messe Frankfurt’s international profile and we are pleased with the accessibility of Shanghai as a business hub. The response we have received from many international buyers and distributors from places such as Belgium, Germany and the US has been satisfying. Of course, there were a great deal of Chinese buyers too! This fair has offered us an excellent opportunity to expand our customer base.”

Jiaxing Expro Industrial Co Ltd also made its debut at Meat Expo China 2015. Ms Vicky Wang, Vice Manager of Oversea Sales for the enterprise, mentioned: “We have been exhibiting at IFFA since 2001 and now we join Meat Expo China to support Messe Frankfurt’s efforts in facilitating local industry advancement. Besides a variety of meat processing machines like mixers and mincers, we also brought our state-of-the-art washers and accessories in response to the increased demand for more hygienic equipment in China. At the fair, we were delighted to have reached a number of professional buyers from both inside and outside China who were knowledgeable and mostly our target clients. The fair has been very productive.”

Returning exhibitor, Jiangsu Yurun Meat Industry Group Co Ltd, is a leading frozen meat supplier in China. Mr Lu Jian, Brand Director for the industry giant, shared: “We have been supporting Meat Expo China for over a decade. It is a must-attend event for us because we can always see existing and potential clients at the fair. We believe that through our continuous participation, we can effectively strengthen our brand image and introduce new products to our target buyers. The fair is also an important channel for us to learn about buyers’ and customers’ demands.”

Xiaojin Machinery specialises in food machinery and mainly manufactures meat processing machinery including meat filler, clipper, grinder, cutter, vacuum tumbler and smokehouse. Mr Chai Yan, Deputy General Manager of the company explained how the show benefited his business, "With the help of Meat Expo China, our company achieved great growth in recent years. We are glad to see Messe Frankfurt has joined CIPC in organising the show and relocating it to Shanghai. We believe the show will benefit the development of local food machinery brands and the Chinese meat industry.”

Besides exhibitors, visitors at Meat Expo China found it very rewarding to source products and network with industry players. Mr Johnson Chen, Manager at China Guangdong Weiya Printing Co Ltd, visited the fair to search for new suppliers of meat packaging materials. He said: “This is my first time at Meat Expo China and I am impressed by the wide variety of products and machinery available. I have already spoken to some polyolefin thermal shrink film manufacturers and think it is possible that we will work together after more discussions. Besides, it is necessary for us to learn more about the general market condition by interacting with industry players along the supply chain. This trip has been very fruitful.”

Mr Alan Zhang, R&D Center Director at Intradin (Shanghai) Machinery Co Ltd, was particularly interested in the machinery brought by Spanish exhibitors. He stated: “The Spanish equipment displayed at the fair demonstrated the excellence in appearance, mastery of performance and optimum use of materials that are exclusive to Europe-made products. In general, Meat Expo China has gathered quite a number of leading companies to introduce their latest products and the event has offered me a valuable chance to explore the development trends in meat-related machinery. I will recommend the show to my peers and definitely visit again!”

International Summit on the Development of the Meat Industry 2015 facilitated knowledge exchange

The International Summit on the Development of the Meat Industry 2015 was held alongside the show. The summit invited high-level government officials from China, experts from industry associations and representatives from esteemed brands to share insights on industry-related policy trends and present ground-breaking technologies. Opening speakers included:

One of the guest speakers, Mr Zhang Xiaojun, representative of Zhejiang Qinglian Food Co Ltd, presented on the topic “Practice and the Reflection of Qinglian Food's Whole Industry Chain”. He hoped to share the company’s experiences with attendees and motivate industry growth. He stated: “Meat Expo China has been organised for many years and gained a high reputation in the industry. Considering its influence and popularity, the show is a desirable platform for idea exchange among meat industry experts in China and throughout Asia. I am glad that the summit was well attended and we will definitely support the exhibition again.”

Attending the summit was Mr Kanda Lu, Managing Director at Wellard Agri (Cangzhou) Co Ltd, a company specialising in importing Australian beef into China. Attracted to the relevance of the topics to his business, he said: “The summit and the show are both nicely organised and helpful to my business. Speakers were knowledgeable and I have already made an appointment with one of them to further discuss current market conditions. Hopefully we will come up with new technical solutions together!”

The next edition of Meat Expo China is scheduled to take place from 14 – 16 November 2016 once again at the Shanghai New International Expo Center in China. For more information, please visit 　www.meatexpochina.com, or send an email to meatexpo@china.messefrankfurt.com

Messe Frankfurt’s leading event in the sector, IFFA, is the largest and most important international trade fair for the meat industry. It covers the entire meat-processing chain from slaughtering, via processing and packaging, to sales. The last edition of IFFA held in 2013 attracted 960 exhibitors and 60,000 professionals from around the world during its six-day exhibition. The next edition will be held from 7 – 12 May 2016 in Frankfurt, Germany. Please visit 　www.iffa.com for more information.

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Rachelle Kong
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Fax: +852 2598 7919
rachelle.kong@hongkong.messefrankfurt.com

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