PINOY PRODUCTS WIN HEARTS IN ASIA'S LARGEST FOOD EXPO
Press Feature — Philippine Daily Inquirer
Pinoy Products Win Hearts in Asia’s Largest Food Expo
The Philippine Coffee Board at Thaifex World of Food Asia
Some $22 million in four days. That’s the gross projected sales that 22 Filipino exhibitors bagged at Thaifex World of Food Asia, according to Roberto “Bobby” Amores, president of Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization, Inc. (Philfoodex). The company, in cooperation with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), brings Filipino companies to Thaifex — Asia’s biggest food expo held annually in Thailand.
The event ran from May 29 to June 2, and Amores was confident that the 24 exhibitors who participated would go home with projected sales of over $25 million.
“On our first day, there was already a sale of $5 million. Banana chips alone will have total sales of about $3 million for this event.”
Roberto “Bobby” Amores, President, PhilfoodexOne brand that caught the spotlight was Basimatsi — a vinegar brand by Kitchen Witchery that many in Manila had never encountered before. On display were seven distinct varieties of suka:
Suka Liso (cane, palm & coconut vinegar), Suka Timplado (with secret Pinoy spices), Suka Minatamis, Suka Sinalabat (with ginger), Suka Pinausukan (perfect for barbecue), Suka Toyomansi, and Labuyo Cerveza (with siling labuyo).
Kitchen Witchery only started in 2015, but has been meeting — and often exceeding — its sales targets, thanks in large part to the support of the Department of Agriculture and PhilFoodEx, which encouraged them to join Madrid Fusion Manila and Thaifex respectively.
Kitchen Witchery’s Winfred Tan (left) and Tomas Medina showcase their vinegar products at Thaifex.
A Platform for Growth“DTI can help you become international. Inclusive growth is part of nation-building.”
Anthony Rivera, Assistant Director, DTI Export Marketing BureauMatthias Kuepper, managing director of Koelnmesse, highlighted the power of the buyers program: “We bring in select key buyers from all over the world — from South America, the US, Europe, Dubai — who come to Thaifex to source from Southeast Asia.” Koelnmesse even hosts these buyers, giving exhibitors direct access to global procurement decision-makers.
“Some companies were very small when they started joining us. Then they would come every year and we have seen them grow — but they still participate. They see the market potential and they trust us as organizers.”
Matthias Kuepper, Managing Director, KoelnmesseBeyond corporations, Thaifex also gave a platform to indigenous communities, farmers, chefs, and baristas. Adrian Lumaban of Yardstick participated in the Celebrity Barista section alongside top baristas from around the world. The Philippine Coffee Board, led by Chit Juan, also represented the country with a live coffee cupping session that put Philippine beans from indigenous farming communities in front of global traders.
This year, Thaifex hosted 2,537 exhibitors from 41 countries across 11 halls at the Impact Convention Center of Thailand, with an estimated foot traffic of 60,000 people. With results like these, the future of Filipino food on the global stage has never looked brighter.
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