Asia's largest food show opens in Pudong

The 22nd SIAL China, Asia's largest food show and the fourth largest in the world, took place in Shanghai on May 18, offering food producers and dealers great business opportunities.

The 200,000-square-meter exhibition, which was held at Shanghai New International Expo Center in Pudong, attracted more than 4,500 exhibitors from home and abroad.

More than 300,000 exhibits, spanning wine and beverages, snacks, organic food, dairy products, and many other types of food, were displayed in seven themed areas.

Attendees were able to gain valuable market insights, as well as hear about trends and innovations in the food industry at the event.

Statistics show that in addition to the high quality of food, 40 percent of consumers pay more attention to natural and organic food, while 32 percent of consumers regard nutrition, health, and immunity enhancement as important food labels.

In addition to low-sugar, low-salt, and low-oil products, other products focusing on beauty and body shaping have also become new trends in the food industry, according to exhibitors.

During this year's Spring Festival holiday, the sales of key retail and catering companies in China reached 821 billion yuan ($128.6 billion), an increase of 28.7 percent year-on-year compared to the same period in 2020.

Started in 2000, SIAL China has gone on to be instrumental in facilitating food trade.