Shanghai to host food industry expo
The 20th SIAL China, a food industry expo to be held in Shanghai next month, is expected to host 4,300 exhibitors from 70 countries and regions.
More than 110,000 traders and catering professionals from around the world are also set to attend the event, to be held between May 14 and 16 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.
"We've seen an evident increase in the size of the China fair in the recent 10 years and it's now the second largest fair in the SIAL network, behind Paris," said Nicolas Trentesaux, managing director of the network.
The Salón Internacional de L’Alimentation (SIAL) started in 1964 and now hosts eight international food exhibitions annually.
Health represents the strongest growth trend in the food industry, with one third of new offerings claiming to have health benefits in the past year.
"The general trends for food consumption remain consistent around the globe, with more focus on health and wellness as well as an increasing embrace for natural and authentic taste," Trentesaux said in an interview with Shanghai Daily.
China also has a strong potential for ethnically- and environmentally-conscious foods, he noted.