A record 96 Taiwan companies are participating in the Food and Hotel Asia 2018 trade show April 24-27 in Singapore, spotlighting the growing competitiveness of homegrown products across the region.
Co-organized by the Bureau of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Economic Affairs and state-supported Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the Taiwan pavilion comprises 110 booths by local enterprises and government agencies. Items on display range from coffee and dipping sauce to dried fruits and ice cream.
The pavilion also includes two special sections on bubble milk tea and halal goods. At the former, buyers can sample freshly made beverages by seven companies, while the latter exhibits products by 36 firms like crackers, pita bread and iron eggs, a Taiwan delicacy made by stewing poultry eggs in spices and drying them repeatedly.
Simon Wang, executive vice president of TAITRA, said this year’s delegation includes large-scale enterprises such as state-owned Taiwan Tobacco and Liquor Corp., Taipei City-headquartered Hey Song Corp. and Hwa Mei Food Co. based in central Taiwan’s Changhua County. This demonstrates the strong interest among local companies in exploring Southeast Asian markets in line with the government’s New Southbound Policy, he added.
A key plank of President Tsai Ing-wen’s national development strategy, the policy seeks to deepen Taiwan’s agricultural, business, cultural, education, tourism and trade ties with the 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, six South Asian countries, Australia and New Zealand.
According to TTL Chairman Wu Jung-hui, the company is recording impressive growth in Southeast Asia, with sales of its instant noodles in Malaysia expected to surge to 70,000 packs this year from 45,000 in 2017. Noting that the company is seeking to gain import approval for the noodles from Singapore, Wu said that participation in the trade show can help Taiwan enterprises foster awareness of their goods across the region.
Launched in 1978, the biennial FHA is one of the largest events of its kind in Asia. Staged at the Singapore Expo and Suntec Singapore exhibition centers, this year’s fair has attracted an estimated 4,000 exhibitors and 78,000 buyers from more than 100 countries and territories. (CPY-E)
Write to Taiwan Today at ttonline@mofa.gov.tw