The forum, which is part of the Food Vision events series by William Reed Business Media, parent of FoodNavigator-Asia, attracted delegates from 25 countries as they explored Asia’s rapidly evolving food, beverage and nutrition market through a wide-ranging series of presentations, debates, and panel discussions.
“Over the last few years, we’ve noticed an increase in interest for our events from industry professionals in Asia,” said Margarete Baltay, Food Vision’s event director.
“Food Vision Asia was created to serve this region and to offer industry professionals more direct access to one of our events. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and it reaffirms our decision to bring the event to Asia.”
Knowledge-transfer and senior-level networking
Following the proven Vision events formula of knowledge transfer and senior-level networking, the Asia edition featured over 12 hours of knowledge-sharing and discussions, chaired by FoodNavigator-Asia and led by a panel of 25 industry leaders from diverse backgrounds, all of whom are experts in their respective fields.
Speakers shared deep insights on their latest research and market observations, and delegates examined how they could apply this knowledge to their own fields. The extensive range of topics served Asia-pacific businesses and yet remained relevant to the industry at large.
Moreover, delegates were also given ample networking opportunities. Lasting connections were forged across all three days, as delegates and speakers engaged in robust interactions and active discussions during a speed networking session, roundtable lunch and coffee breaks.
Results from a post-event survey revealed that 9 out of 10 delegates thought Food Vision Asia succeeded in connecting leaders from the nutrition, food and beverage industry, while 86% were confident that the knowledge they gained will add value to their businesses.
“The sessions were very insightful,” said Hendra Adisubrata, food manufacturing director at TPS Food. “The event provided a wide range of industry information, and enabled me to network with delegates from all over the world.”
Sara Aparicio Hill, associate at K&L Gates, concurred, saying that the event provided her an opportunity to glean new insights to the food industry.
She said: “Food Vision Asia has been most impressive with its quality conference line-up. The topics were very relevant, and the speakers shared some practical advice and refreshing insights that will be most helpful to industry professionals.
“In my line of work, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest news about the F&B market. Being at Food Vision Asia has allowed me to gain an even better understanding of the industry.”
Don McLellan, chairman and managing director of AFC Yeast, who is in search of business partners, added: “I came to Food Vision Asia with the aim to commercialise our product, and I’ve had the chance to interact and connect with like-minded industry professionals here. I was glad to be there and it’s been a really good experience.”
Hotbed for industry advancement
Of the many topics explored at Food Vision Asia, several stood out, including critical global issues such as malnutrition and obesity, and niche areas like nutrigenomics. These presentations received many queries from the attendees and prompted numerous additional discussions.
Even as delegates caught up on the latest market developments and forged new connections at Food Vision Asia, the event served a larger purpose for the industry: shaping its future by engaging the top decision-makes across sectors and countries.
Through in-depth discussions and interactions, Food Vision Asia has challenged conventional thinking and inspires new opportunities for sustainability and profitability in business, impacting the industry beyond the event’s duration.
Aside from the discussions, Food Vision Asia was also chosen for the launch of the Global Halal Alliance, validating its status as a leading forum in the nutrition industry. Led by the Iskandar Regional Development Authority and set up in collaboration with AsureQuality and Haltex Group, the alliance aims to develop a worldwide standard for the creation, marketing and sale of halal products.
In addition, regional food industry body FIA hosted its annual general meeting in conjunction with Food Vision Asia, further testifying to the event’s prominence within the industry.
The association worked in close partnership with the organisers to develop the programme and reach out to the industry. Steven Bartholomeusz, head of advocacy and communications at FIA, said: “We collaborated closely with the team behind Food Vision Asia to put the conference agenda together. The turnout is great and the feedback about the conference sessions is very positive.”
An annual affair
Food Vision Asia will return to Singapore in next year as an annual event, running alongside sister events the Food Vision global forum in Europe and Food Vision USA.
“Overall, we are very pleased with the success of this debut event, and the industry can look forward to an equally informative and interactive edition next year,” said Baltay.
For more information and updates on Food Vision Asia, visit www.foodvisionasia.com.