Four HKTDC Lifestyle Fairs Open in August

27 July 2017 － Four HKTDC lifestyle fairs are set to kick off on 17 August at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC): the 28^th Food Expo, the fourth Home Delights Expo, the second Beauty & Wellness Expo, and the ninth Hong Kong International Tea Fair. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the four fairs are expected to welcome more than 1,900 exhibitors, showcasing the latest quality food, tea, as well as household, beauty and health products to trade buyers and consumers alike. The International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products (ICMCM), jointly organised by the HKTDC and the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association Ltd, will also open on the same day.

At today’s press conference, HKTDC Deputy Executive Director Benjamin Chau introduced details of the five events. “The annual Food Expo, held in August, is a grand feast for foodies. Together with the concurrent International Tea Fair, Home Delights Expo and Beauty & Wellness Expo, the events provide a cross-sector marketing platform for exhibitors as well as a one-stop sourcing and shopping experience for trade buyers and consumers. We are happy to have Japan as the Partner Country of Food Expo this year, bringing to Hong Kong more than 330 Japanese exhibitors to introduce their local delicacies and haute cuisine. There will also be a number of cooking demonstrations and product introductions that will allow visitors to experience Japanese culinary culture.”

Food Expo (17-21 August)
In its 28^th edition, the Food Expo will feature a record number of close to 1,500 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions, housed in three dedicated areas: the Public Hall, Gourmet Zone and Trade Hall.

Open to the public throughout the fair period (17-21 August), the Public Hall will gather more than 540 exhibitors. A fair highlight, the Premium Food Zone will feature 30 major brands, including Kee Wah Bakery, On Kee Dry Seafood, Tai Pan and Maxim’s Group. Hong Kong’s famous century-old sauce brand Yu Kwen Yick will also participate in the expo for the first time. Specialised products at the expo include Cotton Candy Grapes from California, in the United States; Kitagawa Uji Matcha Ice-cream, a collaboration between Taiwanese green tea brand Tao Ti and Japan’s Kitagawahanbee Syouten; as well as a hand-brewed Jelly Plum Wine from Fukuoka, Japan. The Public Hall will also feature five group pavilions: the Chinese mainland, Canada, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, bringing a sumptuous international gourmet feast.

The Gourmet Zone, open to the public from 17-20 August, will spotlight delicacies from around the globe under four themes: Asian Cuisine, Western Delicacy, Sweet Delight, and Green Palate. Products include a Himalayan Pink Salt Brick, which can be used to pan-fry or bake food directly over the stove; a 100 per cent plant-based burger patty from the US, and handmade cookies from artist Sharon Chan’s Blesscuit Bakery.

The Trade Hall will showcase international flavours from more than 870 exhibitors.  Fifteen group pavilions have been organised by Chinese mainland provinces and other countries, including newcomers from Canada, the Czech Republic, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico and Thailand. The Hall will also feature thematic product zones, including the Halal Food Zone and the Chinese Medicine Zone, organised in association with the ICMCM Conference. The Trade Hall is open exclusively to industry professionals on 17-18 August, before opening its doors to the public on the last day (19 August).

Meanwhile, a number of exciting events will take place during the fair period. They include star chef cooking demonstrations featuring 20 celebrity chefs, such as the popular cooking-show hosts Steve Lee and Helen Tam, as well as Chan Hon Cheong, the Chef de Cuisine of the Grand Hyatt Hotel's One Harbour Road. Several star chefs will demonstrate “less salt, less sugar yet delicious” recipes in cooking demonstrations organised jointly by the HKTDC, the Food and Hygiene Bureau and the Committee on Reduction of Salt and Sugar in Food. Other events include seminars by famous food critics and industry players on trending issues for the food and beverage industry; the launch of the 2017-2018 Wan Chai a La Carte; and the Q-Mark Creative Chef Championship.

Home Delights Expo (17-21 August)
The fourth edition of the Home Delights Expo, targeting consumers, will feature more than 160 exhibitors that will present a range of quality electrical and kitchen appliances as well as household products. The Avenue of Delights will feature over 40 lifestyle brands, including STAUB, CLP, Kenwood, Meyer, OTO, Panasonic, Philips and Towngas. The HKTDC and the Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups are jointly launching the “Home” for Youth Start-ups: the Exhibition Experience Taster campaign and will set up a Start-up Square at the expo, providing a platform for young entrepreneurs to promote their products and services.

Beauty & Wellness Expo (17-21 August)
Launched last year, the Beauty & Wellness Expo, another consumer event, will return with more than 80 exhibitors featuring a wide selection of skincare, hair care, spa massage and nail products. For the first time, the Cosmetic & Perfumery Association of Hong Kong will bring 15 local enterprises to present their latest beauty products, while new pavilions from Korea and Taiwan will feature their local quality products.  In addition, the Beauty Salon zone, organised by the Federation of Beauty Industry (HK), will return to provide a promotion platform for award-winning entrepreneurs and beauty salons.

The Home Delights Expo and Beauty & Wellness Expo will hold lucky draws, product demonstrations, and a “Vegan x Fitness” sharing session. Cooking demonstrations using popular kitchenware will be conducted by 10 celebrity chefs and famous food bloggers, including the joint founder of Journesis, Audrey Chan; famous beauty and dietary therapy expert Yoko Tsang; Shun De Kung’s Executive Chef Chan Kei Ying; Hutong’s Head Chef Chau Saito; and Solemate’s Executive Chefs Vito Chan and Celina Ling. Several beauty experts have been invited to share simple hairstyle and makeup tips, including advice for summer oily skin and party looks. The crowd-pleasing “Smart Bidding” event will also return, where visitors can bid for selected household appliances and products.

Hong Kong International Tea Fair (17-19 August)
The ninth Hong Kong International Tea Fair will feature 220 exhibitors from 10 countries and regions, including a newcomer from Mauritius, which will present tea products, packaging and equipment. The three-day fair will run from 17-19 August, opening exclusively to trade buyers on the first two days, before welcoming public visitors on the last day. Featured products include a Pu’er Tea King, known as one of the best Pu’er teas; and from a Japanese exhibitor, a type of Sencha, bred at the second station of Mount Fuji, a climate 1,000 metres above sea level. To promote tea culture, the fair will also feature a series of collectors’ tea ware, including a Qing Dynasty-era cover bowl that was fired and finished at 1,300 degrees Celsius.

Among the spotlight events will be the Tea Competition 2017, which will choose the best taste and best aroma teas from participating exhibitors. Visitors will be able to enjoy the award-winning teas for free on 19 August, when the fair opens to the public. The International KamCha Competition 2017 Hong Kong Style-Milk Tea – Returning Special International Final will see Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland’s Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Shenzhen; as well as Melbourne and Toronto compete for the winning title. The International Yuan Yang Final will be staged alongside as well. Public visitors can join a series of Tea Forums delivered by industry experts on such topics as tea therapy, tea and zen, as well as tea and food pairing. Events catering to trade buyers include the International Tea Tasting Sessions, tea art performances, a seminar on marketing strategy for tea brands, and a buyer forum for industry players to exchange information.

ICMCM (17-18 August)
The ICMCM will take place on 17-18 August to keep industry players abreast of the latest trends and developments in traditional Chinese medicine. The conference will feature 16 distinguished speakers from renowned institutions in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland, Korea and Macau, including the Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan University College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University and the School of Chinese Medicine of The Chinese University of Hong Kong. The experts will share views on quality control of Chinese medicine products, pharmacology, internationalisation and successful cases. On 19 August, public visitors can join Public Forum sessions by professional Chinese medicine practitioners, who will discuss various prevalent urban diseases such as shoulder and back pain, gout, adolescent scoliosis, lumbar pain, diabetes, and foot and knee joint pain.

Opening Hours

Ticketing starts on 3 August
Details:  www.hktdc.com/ex/hkfoodexpo/57

Remarks:

• Free admission for children aged 3 and under, and senior citizens above the age of 65.
• Admission ends 45 minutes before exhibition closing time. Admission tickets are sold at designated 7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores, Hong Kong Ticketing (www.hkticketing.com), Tap & Go Mobile Wallet (starting mid-August) and on- site at the HKCEC.
• Night Admission Tickets are sold exclusively at the HKCEC Harbour Road Ticketing Office (17-20 August, after 6pm)

Fair Websites

• Food Expo: http://www.hktdc.com/hkfoodexpo
• Hong Kong International Tea Fair: http://www.hktdc.com/hkteafair
• Home Delights Expo: http://www.hktdc.com/homedelights
• Beauty & Wellness Expo: http://www.hktdc.com/hkbeautyexpo
• ICMCM: http://www.hktdc.com/icmcm
   

Media Enquiries
Please contact the HKTDC's Communication and Public Affairs Department:

Banbi Chen                          Tel: (852) 2584 4525                       Email: banbi.yc.chen@hktdc.org

Katherine Chan                   Tel: (852) 2584 4537                       Email: katherine.cm.chan@hktdc.org

To view press releases in Chinese, please visit http://mediaroom.hktdc.com/tc

About the HKTDC
Established in 1966, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong’s businesses. With more than 40 offices globally, including 13 on the Chinese mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a platform for doing business with China, Asia and the world. With 50 years of experience, the HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to provide companies, particularly SMEs, with business opportunities on the mainland and in international markets, while providing information via trade publications, research reports and digital channels including the media room. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.