The Inaugural Food & Drinks Malaysia (FDM) by SIAL, the premier trade fair for the food and beverage industry, successfully kicked off at MITEC (Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre). The official launch ceremony was graced by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Chan Foong Hin.
The three-day trade fair featured a diverse range of 450 local and international brands from 22 countries, with the intention to explore opportunities in the food and beverage sectors, seafood and fishery, food technology with a special feature in alternative proteins and spice and condiments, and halal food.
FDM by SIAL also provides a platform for visitors to engage with the latest food innovations and trends, and gain insights into the halal value chain and related segments.
Elaine Chia, Asia Pacific CEO of Comexposium, said: “With Malaysia’s strong economic standing and renowned for its diverse and multicultural culinary culture, our first edition of Food & Drinks Malaysia (FDM) welcomes 450 local and international brands and 10,000 trade visitors from 22 countries over three days, showcasing the industry’s best and fostering valuable business connections.”
Salon International de l’alimentation Network, or commonly known by its French acronym SIAL (pronounced as sai-uhl) Network, is a key brand under Comexposium.
With its headquarters based in France, Comexposium is one of the leading event organisers worldwide and operates in 30 countries, owns 67 exhibition brands, and annually hosts more than 3.5 million visitors and 48,000 exhibitors.
SIAL Network is a globally recognised trade fair specialising in food-related trends and innovation. Established in France in 1964, the SIAL Network has carved a name for itself as ‘The Global Food Marketplace’ — serving as a platform for connecting and facilitating business within the international food community.
Nicolas Trentesaux, CEO of SIAL Network, said, “Through our network of trade shows, we have built a strong understanding of the global food market dynamics and market intelligence.
“We are extremely well versed in spotting trends and discussing topics that shapes the food industry. For Food & Drinks Malaysia, we have partnered with Kantar Malaysia to further scrutinise on food industry trends in Malaysia and Southeast Asia region through the 2022 Food 360 data.”
During the launch, Trentesaux shared topline insights extracted from the KANTAR SEA Insights FOOD 360 2022 whitepaper report. The study was conducted across 11 countries with a focus on Southeast Asia, China, and India, providing valuable analytics predominantly from Malaysia and Indonesia, shedding light on notable food trends.
The report revealed interesting insights:
- An increase from 69% to 71% in perception of consumers towards food products as a form of modest luxury or a means of pleasure;
- Significant increase from 83% to 92% in demand for organic food in Malaysia and Indonesia, as compared to the rest of the world since 2020;
- The willingness of consumers in Malaysia and Indonesia to pay more for healthier food options; and
- Desire for food actors to reduce plastic usage and environmental pollution.
The fair also featured various notable activities, including —
- A two-day Food Conference themed ‘The Next Frontier’, where industry delegates and stakeholders gathered to discuss on disruptive protein technology being a new source of sustainable food solutions;
- The Future Food & Agriculture Pavilion by Impact Circle which showcased local and foreign startups conducting food technology demonstrations and pitching to potential investors; and
- The Regional Halal Forum which brought together representatives from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, and Malaysia to share insights on halal legislation, certification processes, and the halal transformation map of each country.
Visitors were also treated to cooking demonstrations of authentic Sarawak food by Madam Jasbir Kaur, who was the Runner-up in MasterChef Asia 2015.
The Inaugural FDM by SIAL 2023 was supported by the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MyCEB), with Sin Chew Daily and World of Buzz as Official Media Partners, and AirAsia Ride as Official E-Hailing Partner.
