Vitafoods Asia organiser Informa Exhinitions has said the nutraceutical event and conference will move from its existing home in Hong Kong to Singapore in 2017 in an effort to broaden the appeal of the show within the Asia-Pacific region and worldwide.
According to Informa, the move in location is expected to attract a new audience thanks to the ‘ideal location’ for both visitors and exhibitors – noting that Singapore is actively positioning itself as the food hub of Asia.
“We carried out extensive independent research to understand better the needs of our visitors and exhibitors and the message was clear," said Chris Lee, Vitafoods portfolio director. “Overwhelmingly, they told us that holding Vitafoods Asia 2017 in Singapore would help them meet to their business aims."
Lee continued: “Vitafoods Asia 2017 will build on the strong platform we have established in Hong Kong over the past six years, reinforcing its position as the largest and foremost global nutraceutical event in Asia."
Prime location
Singapore is home to 850 food manufacturing businesses, and eight out of ten top food companies have a presence, including ingredients businesses such as DSM, DuPont, BASF and Tate & Lyle.
Furthermore, packaged foods companies and nutrition businesses with operations in Singapore include Coca-Cola, Nestlé, Unilever, Diageo, Abbott, Fonterra, Mead Johnson and Friesland Campina.
Meanwhile, Danone, Kellogg’s and Mondelez all have R&D and new product development hubs in Singapore, Informa noted – adding that Singapore is also home to a number of key industry associations, including the ASEAN Alliance of Health Supplements Associations (AAHSA) and the Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA), and that several key industry media and market research organisations also operate out of the city.
The 2017 Vitafoods Asia event will take place from September 5-6, 2017 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands.