Magazines Archives - 2009 July

HOFEX 2009 beat the odds to post a better-than-expected turnout
Story 3 - Review

NEITHER the recession gripping the world nor even the flu pandemic had detracted from HOFEX 2009, which reported an 11% increase in visitors over the 2007 show, with 32,479 thronging the 44,000sqm of exhibition space — the largest area to date. The 13-year-old biennial international exhibition of food, drink, hotel, restaurant and food-service equipment, supplies and services in Asia was staged from May 5-9 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC).

Organised by Hong Kong Exhibition Services Ltd (HKES), HOFEX 2009 saw 1,800 exhibitors coming from across the globe to showcase a vast variety of mainstream, and unique products and services for the hospitality, equipment and F&B sectors.

Highlights of the event included the Hong Kong International Culinary Classic 2009, which attracted 519 competitors and 22 teams from Canada, the UAE, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Macau.

The teams competed in six categories: Western cuisine; Chinese cuisine; ice-carving; pastry; live bakery competition; the gourmet team challenge; and the live pastry competition, the newest addition.

“The judging panel consisted of over 80 judges, 15 of whom were top international judges from Australia, China, France, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Thailand,” the organiser stated.

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