CEBU has captured the attention of some international food equipment manufacturers for its thriving food and culinary landscape.
Jon Richmond Ang, marketing director of Worldbex Services International that organizes the annual Cebu Food and Beverage Expo (CEFBEX), said that food equipment makers in China, Thailand, and Taiwan are looking at Cebu as their new market.
“One major opportunity (they are looking at) is that they search for local dealers or distributors in Cebu. Since the food industry in Cebu is growing, it should be supplied with more options so Cebuanos can have the power to choose,” he told Sun.Star Cebu yesterday during the launching of the eighth CEFBEX ran in the SM City Cebu Trade Hall.
This year, Ang said there are 100 exhibitors holding 130 booths. Ten percent of these are international exhibitors, the first time to happen in CEFBEX, and half of these are from Metro Manila.
This year’s expo will also be the first to include the “Organic Market” as presented by the Cebu Farmers Market.
Apart from product displays and live demonstrations, there is also a lineup of pocket events and activities which include the CEFBEX Culinary Cup: Home Chef Edition, a culinary competition for non-professional home cooks across Cebu. In addition, there is also an inter-school competition for the region’s culinary talents.
In the next years, Ang believes the local food sector will continue to thrive, as the market has been diversifying prompted by “more picky” diners. This is evident by the growing number of gourmet restaurants and malls.
CEFBEX positions itself as a “leading force” in championing the sustained growth of Cebu’s food and beverage industry “one world class exposition at a time.”
For this year’s show, the organizer expects no less than 25,000 visitors. The event formally opened yesterday and is open to the public until Sunday.