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FoodBev spoke with Isabella Hsu, founder of Food & Beverage Innovation Forum (FBIF) to find out what’s in store for the organisation’s 2024 event.

What can visitors expect from the FBIF2024 show? Are there any changes that may enhance the experience or knowledge gained by visitors?

You will find several aspects brushed up from the year before at FBIF2024. We are expecting 240 food and beverage expert speakers specialising in food, beverage and related fields from China, Russia, the United States, Australia, Italy, Brazil, Israel, Germany, Singapore, the United Kingdom, Japan and other parts of the world to share their insights. A panorama of trends and dynamics of global top brands, challenger players and key suppliers will unfold within three short yet exciting days. Tech Talks is a newly added sub-forum that examines notable technology innovations on the packaged food value chain and their impact on the industry. Examples include the role of AI in product development, production, marketing and sales; how protein production has been significantly accelerated by synthetic biology; revolutionary photodegradation of plastic waste; commercialisation of seaweed packaging, and more. The show will also include one-stop showcasing of distribution channels. Past discussions focused on the methodologies of building a great product – now, selling great products will also be on the radar. Distribution resources will be gathered for brands to strengthen their channel matrices. In addition to Channel Talks, the Channel Gala Dinner and Foodtalks Matchmaking will be curated at FBIF2024 to efficiently align business needs and solutions. What exciting trends and companies are you expecting to see at the show? We have carefully selected each case to be presented at FBIF2024. We are expecting a breadth of presenters who are passionate about the industry, offering unique insight into how they have thought outside the box in their fields and made an impact. Topics will include how Lactalis has grown from a small cheese maker in western France to the world’s largest dairy company, hitting €8.3 billion in revenue in 2022; secrets to the success of the fastest-growing challenger brand for flavoured water in North America, bringing in $100 million per year; Perfect Day’s tactics as one of the most successful players in commercialising alternative proteins; and many more. What’s the one aspect that attendees shouldn’t miss? Over the past 12 months, more than 100 colleagues have been devoted to ensuring that there is no single event you should miss, from the FBIF2024 forums to the awards and shows. Our exhibitors represent the best of food ingredients, manufacturing equipment, manufacturing and OEM, packaging, marketing, design, testing and supply chain services. FBIF will also see a larger presence of consumer brands. A wide spectrum of cutting-edge solutions will be showcased thanks to the breadth of exhibitors. After one tour of the show, you will gain thorough insights into the latest trends along the industry value chain and identify potential partners. What is the future of the industry in China? Are there any upcoming innovations we should look out for? We all have faith in the prospect of the Chinese market, given its stable political environment, 1.4 billion consumers, complete supply chain, robust distribution networks and wide spectrum of modes and channels of communications – which are all predeterminants of a great market. We anticipate progression in synthetic biology, industrial AI applications, quality and healthy ingredients, and equipment and software that enable flexible manufacturing. About FBIF2024 Under the theme ‘Unbox the Future,’ Food & Beverage Innovation Forum (FBIF2024) and FBIF iFood Show will take place 25-27 June 2024 in the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), China. FBIF2024 forum will discuss industry trends and innovation cases from different product categories such as dairy, beverages, snacks, bakery, alcoholic drinks, condiments, 3R food and different perspectives such as industry strategy, functional ingredients, marketing, channels, packaging, start-ups and technology. FBIF Wow Food Awards and FBIF iFood Show, an exhibition of food innovations that covers over 62,000 square meters, will bring a splash of inspirations. FBIF2024 is expected to have more than 200 topics and 240 speakers, 150+ VIP guests for the Channel Gala Dinner, more than 900 exhibitors, and around 7,400 industry guests attending the conference, with participation from over 47,000 attendees.