24 Mar 2015 Official launch of new Food & Hospitality Africa expo

As we reported last December, Hostex and IFEA are merging into one hospitality-food show in May 2016. The organisers took the opportunity to officially launch the new event at last week’s Hostex expo at the Sandton Convention Centre.

The new expo, Food & Hospitality Africa, scheduled for 3-5 May 2016 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand, Gauteng, will start out with a strong history of successful delivery through the popular Hostex and IFEA expos.
Hostex has 30 years of experience in presenting the leading expo to the South African market, and IFEA, the international food and drink event that launched in 2013, adds innovation, excitement and variety to the mix. While some of the favourite elements of both shows will be evident at Food & Hospitality Africa, it will feature a fresh new look and bold new features and attractions.
Announcing the new expo at the official launch on Tuesday, 17 March at Hostex 2015, Nicholas Sarnadas, Food & Hospitality Event Director for Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery, said, “We responded to the call from industry to merge the two most popular hospitality trade shows and is co-locating IFEA and Hostex in 2016. This will leverage the size and scale of two industry greats to create one expo that will be the largest and most representative food and hospitality trade event on the African continent.
“I believe it will be of enormous benefit to both exhibitors and visitors, adding significant value to all parties in delivering an expo that meets the complementary needs of the foodservice, catering, hospitality, retail and wholesale sectors. The move to Gallagher Estate puts Food & Hospitality Africa in the centre of the Pretoria and Johannesburg audience as well as being in the vibrant and burgeoning Midrand precinct.”
New at Food & Hospitality Africa will be:

• The Skillery, a culinary hub presented by the SA Chefs’ Association, which will showcase the talents, skills and passion of South Africa’s chefs, both those with celebrity status and those in the making.
• The Tea & Coffee Pavilion, hosted by the Speciality Coffee Association of Southern Africa, will offer information, flavours, aromas and insights into market trends and developments in this booming sector, and will feature an all-day programme that includes the National Barista Championship.
• Host-ED, the popular free-to-attend seminar featuring back-to-back half-hour seminars by leaders, experts, and innovators, and runs for the duration of the show.
• The Food & Hospitality Africa Buyers Programme will be hosted in collaboration with the Dept of Trade & Industry and will bring together key, hand-picked buyers from across the globe.

Hostex Gauteng 2013 attracted more than 200 exhibitors and 8 500 visitors, with over 80% of those visitors in a position to either make or influence buying decisions.
IFEA 2014 featured 172 exhibitors from 25 countries and 11 international pavilions, attracting 2 270 local and international visitors from the retail, hospitality, restaurant, catering and other related industries, from 38 countries. 82.3% of the visitors indicated that they make or influence purchasing decisions.
Sarnadas says, “Food & Hospitality Africa in 2016 is a response to the evolving landscape of food and hospitality in South Africa. It will incorporate global expertise to present a cutting-edge expo, while always ensuring that the crucial elements of providing networking opportunities, relevant information, a wide range of products and services, and the excitement of culinary competitions remain firmly in place. We look forward to the biggest gathering of the industry – from South Africa, Africa and further afield – that South Africa has yet seen.”