THE 5th Food Processing and Packaging Expo (FPP-Mindanao) opened Wednesday at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in Davao City, showcasing various companies that offer products ranging from raw materials to advanced industrial-grade food processing equipment.
Companies that offer food-related training services are also joining the exposition that will be concluded Thursday.
In an interview, FPP organizer Joel Pascual said the expo "is about the food and beverage industry," aiming to assist industry stakeholders "to upgrade their knowledge, learn new skills and discover new products."
For instance, Pascual said there are exhibitors who are showcasing "quite interesting products" such as sausages made from crocodile meat.
Another company, Pascual said, makes slush machines for a famous convenience store chain while another sells highly biodegradable plastic packaging.
"FPP has lots of events in line throughout the next few 2days. No other food and beverage trade show is as extensive as FPP," Pascual vowed.
Events include free top-of-the-line seminars from the region's most important food and beverage stakeholders, product testing and tasting, live demonstrations and much more.
Unlike most trade shows, FPP has actual product lines on display. These are manned by professional staff of the respective companies, which lets a visitor acquire accurate and up-to-date information about almost everything that has to do with the industry.
Future in food
There is a future in food, Pascual said. He added that while it is true that many food businesses eventually fail, the tricks are to find a niche, to harness technology, and to set a difference.
He said finding a segment of the market, whose needs will be perfectly addressed by a prospective product, is necessary. He said this ensures that the product will elicit a higher rate of customer satisfaction, which is vital for the establishing a business.
Technology, he added, is also necessary to maximize the efficiency of business processes. This is made possible by using automated processing equipment and better-quality packaging materials, among others. With technology, he said, productivity will be greatly boosted, translating to faster business growth and expansion.
Pascual also said differentiation is an indispensable step in ensuring the longevity of a business venture. He cited Blugre Cafe at Matina Town Center which offers durian coffee.
Pascual said "while cafes proliferate all over Davao City, so that competition is unbearably stiff, Blugre still manages to keep its customers and even get more because they have something that no one else has to offer."
New trends
Pascual went on to enumerate new trends in the industry that are starting to spread all over the country.
He cited that food and beverage companies in Manila are now shifting into a wellness trend, like healthy fresh meat ingredients from free-range cattle and organic, pesticide-free farm produce.
He added that even bakeries are now into creating hand-made bread which they call "Artisan Bread", as opposed to the mass-produced, cookie-cutter versions that most consumers are familiar with.
He said even fast food giants are into this trend. Years ago, he explained, the customers of a leading fast-food chain are used to seeing bunches pre-cooked food in the stacks. Nowadays, this retail chain has started to customize their products based on what a customer wants.