22

@ Halal | July-August . 2022

The premier Malaysian exhibition was the first physical event organised by Informa Markets within the ASEAN region in the post-pandemic era . It delivered a welcome return to face-to-face business networking for top brands and buyers spanning the food and hospitality industry .

FHM 2022 featured a diverse cross-section of 264 participating brands and companies from various industry segments across its events spaces , with several international exhibitors from Singapore , Philippines , Thailand , China , Japan and Belgium also participating despite ongoing travel restrictions due to the pandemic .

The event drew a massive response from industry players looking to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic , with a better than expected turnout of 12,680 unique trade visitors attending FHM 2022 during the week .

While most attendees were locals , the internationally renowned event nevertheless drew some overseas buyers from neighbouring countries such as Singapore , Thailand , Brunei and Indonesia , as well as several visitors from China , Australia , the USA and a few other countries .

A total of 53.9 per cent of visitors attended FHM for the first time , while 44.4 per cent were returning visitors that had participated in previous iterations of the event .

Thanks to the high visitor turnout , FHM 2022 successfully generated total revenue of US $ 50 mil in business conducted on the show floor during the four event days .

“ FHM 2022 proved to be a perfect starting point to bring trade shows back to the ASEAN region . It was clear our exhibitors and visitors were enthusiastic about conducting face-to-face business again after this two-year hiatus ,” said Gerard Leeuwenburgh , Country General Manager of Informa Markets Malaysia .

FHM 2022 offered a comprehensive array of activities . It themed seminars that proved to be the ideal platform for industry players to discover the latest innovations and developments within the F & B and hospitality markets .

Visitors came not only to meet up with existing suppliers or source new ones but also to uncover the latest food , beverage , packaging , automation and hygiene-related trends they could adopt to innovate their business activities and product offerings .

Amongst the most sought-after products at FHM 2022 were pastries and baked products , gelato , coffee and tea beverages , and other unique F & B offerings , which saw significant demand from visiting F & B entrepreneurs , and chefs and distributors looking for the latest market innovations .

A unique Pastry Innovation Lab on the show floor provided continuous live demonstrations to prepare innovative and unique pastries to inspire visitors further and provide free food samples throughout the week .

Meanwhile , there was also great interest in exhibitors that showcased innovative food preparation , sustainable packaging solutions and hi-tech hospitality service applications , as F & B manufacturers and kitchen operators increasingly recognise the benefits of adopting automation , innovative technology and robotics in their practices .

Unsurprisingly , hygiene supplies and cleaning equipment were also in high demand during the week , with F & B and hospitality service operators , lodging business owners and cleaning service providers sourcing products and tools that could increase the health and safety of their guests and employees in the post-pandemic new normal .

FHM 2022 also acknowledged the worldwide shift towards healthier food consumption by introducing a plant-based food segment during this year ’ s event . Based on the positive response and rising consumer demand for organic and meatless food options , FHM will continue to grow in this segment in the coming years .

Visitors and exhibitors that missed out on FHM 2022 need not fret . Informa Markets Malaysia has confirmed that the iconic trade show ’ s next edition will be at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from Sept 19 – 22 , 2023 .