Sweets China held in conjunction with China Candy Festival 2009

China National Candy Association will partner German trade fairs organizer Koelnmesse to hold China Candy Festival in conjunction with Sweets China. Sweets China will overlap with China Candy Festival for one day, giving trade exhibitors an opportunity to meet local end consumers.
The organizer of ISM – the world’s leading trade fair for the sweet, snack and confectionery industry, Koelnmesse will partner with China National Candy Association to hold Sweets China in conjunction with China Candy Festival 2009. Sweets China will be held from 22 to 24 October 2009, open only to trade visitors, while China Candy Festival targeted at the general public, will be held from 24 to 25 October, overlapping with Sweets China for one day.
The exhibitors of China Candy Festival are the exhibitors of Sweets China who opt to extend their exhibit period to showcase to public. In reverse, the exhibitors of China Candy Festival will be incorporated into the exhibitor line-up at Sweets China, making Sweets China a bigger trade event this year.
The fairs will be held at Shanghai Exhibition Center, occupying the Dome and Central Halls as well as the first and second levels of the East Hall, taking up a total space of 10,000 square meters. Sweets China is a trading and networking platform for sweet, snack and confectionery manufacturers, machinery and ingredients providers, wholesalers, dealers and retailers.
For the first time in 2009, Koelnmesse partners with China National Candy Association to hold Sweets China in conjunction with China Candy Festival, to maximize the attendance value for both visitors and exhibitors. Koelnmesse has organized Sweets China for the past five years to positive response from the industry. The trade fair is renowned for its professional organization and international exhibitors, establishing itself as the most important business and networking trade platform for the sweet, snack and confectionery industry in China and Asia. China National Candy Association represents more than 500 Chinese companies in the candy, chocolate, jelly and preserves confectionery industry. China Candy Festival was organized by the association from 2006 to 2008 and is open to the general public.
To provide a more comprehensive exhibit profile for visitors and exhibitors, Sweets China will feature two new zones, Sweet & SnackTec and Tea & Coffee Zones. The Sweet & SnackTec Zone is incorporated from International Sweet & SnackTec China, which was held for the past two years to provide exhibitors and visitors of Sweets China with a more inclusive exhibit showcase. The Tea & Coffee zone will serve as a perfect compliment to the end products as hot beverages and food pairing is becoming trendy.
The organizers will be planning a series of marketing campaigns to reach out to trade mission groups in Asia. In addition, the buyers of local and regional caterers, supermarkets, wholesalers, distributors and retailers are also on the invitation list of the organizers, most of whom are members of the China National Candy Association.
According to official figures, the confectionery and chocolate market in China has maintained an average increase of 12.85% in the past five years, 6% higher than the global average. China boasts a large population of 140 million and the potential chocolate consumption is valued at RMB 20,000 million. As long as the average per capita consumption reaches 1kg per year, China will definitely be the largest market in the world.
In addition, industry reports indicate that the snack food industry accounts for more than ten percent in the business operations of supermarkets and large stores, ranking number one and the sales volume is more than 5%, ranking number three, which is only lower than frozen foods and health foods. China’s 2009 growth rate is projected to hover around eight percent even amid the economic downturn. It is a good time for foreign manufacturers to enter the market so they can stand out in the quieting economy.
Chinese consumers are constantly modifying their lifestyles as well, increasing their consumption of snack and convenience foods. As a result, demand for packaging for this niche industry will increase. It is expected that confectionery packaging in China will continue its rising momentum, with a projected annual increment of seven percent from 2006 to 2010 and six percent from 2011 to 2015.
As demonstrated, China’s sweets, snacks and confectionery market still holds vast potential even in these challenging times. To tap on the vastly lucrative market in China and Asia, Sweets China 2009, held from 22 to 24 October is a must-attend event for all players in the industry. Focusing on the sweet, snack and confectionery market, the exhibit profile covers cocoa, chocolate, chocolate products, biscuits, snack products, sugar confectionery, ice and raw pastes, with a Tea & Coffee Zone and a Sweet & SnackTec Zone to provide a comprehensive one-stop shop. Sweets China is supported by AISM, the German Committee for the International Sweets and Biscuits Fair: Bundesverband der Deutschen Süßwarenindustrie e.V. and Sweets Global Network.
Further information: www.sweetschina.com