Considered the most successful event in the UK for connecting businesses operating in the hospitality; restaurant services; and wholesale, retail, distribution, and import - export of food, the expo serves as a venue for enterprises to explore new business opportunities, directly meet potential customers, assess demand and consumer trends in the food industry in the UK and international markets.
Vietnam’s booths at the expo attracted visitors with a variety of products including fresh fruit, frozen seafood, dried noodles, different kinds of coffee and tea, and products from cononut and ginger.
Hoang Le Hang, First Secretary at the Vietnamese Trade Office in the UK, said that the UK is a highly promising market for Vietnamese exporters, evidenced by the continuous growth in Vietnamese exports to the UK over the past three years, with projections indicating that this growth trend will persist. She stressed that Vietnamese firms should seize opportunities to take part in expos like IFE to affirm their capability to supply stable, high-quality, environmentally friendly products.
Marina Stewart, International Sales Manager at the IFE’s organising board said for companies looking to penetrate the UK market, IFE is an essential destination as it acts as a crucial link between manufacturers and retailers, distributors, including major UK supermarket chains.
IFE is also the only trade fair where participating businesses cover the entire food supply chain, from raw material production and product manufacturing to packaging and food service, creating opportunities for firms to find partners in every sector of the food industry, she noted.
Stewart expressed her hope that in the future, Vietnamese products will have a stronger presence at IFE, given the increasing demand for Vietnamese goods in the UK, especially products sourced from plants, organic products, and healthy items.
Nguyen Thi Hanh Huong, CEO of Ben Tre Betrimex said that IFE is an opportunity for her company to access potential customers, including large retail chains in the UK.
Huynh Van Tan, General Director of Camimex - a seafood export company in the Mekong Delta province of Ca Mau said he hopes to receive additional support from the Vietnamese Trade Office in the UK in connecting Canimex in particular and firms in Ca Mau in general with distributors in the UK.
In January, Vietnam’s export turnover to the UK reached nearly 780.5 million USD, up over 57% year-on-year. Most export items experienced stable growth, particularly agricultural products, with coffee increasing by 218.5%, cashew nuts (nearly 61%), pepper (over 60%), fruits and vegetables (over 56%), and seafood (over 26%).
As the largest annual international F&B trade fair in the UK, IFE 2024 attracted nearly 1,000 exhibitors from 102 countries worldwide, along with 27,000 domestic and international business visitors.
