Hongda Exhibits at Food Ingredients Asia 2012
From October 3 to 5, 2012, over China's National Day holiday week, the pharmaceutical division of Ningbo Hongda Group exhibited at Food Ingredients Asia (FIA) in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Our goal in attending FIA Indonesia was to reach a wider range of customers and get a clearer read on the market. Indonesia is one of the most important markets in Southeast Asia and offers considerable room for growth in food ingredients. The opportunities are real, and so are the challenges.
The show hosted more than 100 exhibitors across a broad product range: food additives, acidulants, amino acids and derivatives, antioxidants, bakery products, meat products, cereal and cheese products, food colors, fermented foods, dairy, emulsifiers, dietary fiber, seafood, flavors and fragrances, fruit and vegetable products, gelling agents, herbs and seasonings, lecithin, poultry products, yeast and more. Our featured products were vitamins (mainly the vitamin B3 series), amino acids, gluconates and plant extracts.
Overall attendance was strong and our booth saw a steady flow of business discussions. Most visitors were Indonesian, with additional attendees from Thailand, Malaysia, India and the Philippines. We also invited several of our contacts in Indonesia to join us, which helped deepen communication and understanding with local customers.
Talking with different customers gave us a first look at how demand for food ingredients is developing in Indonesia. As a developing country, Indonesia's requirements for food ingredients sit at a lower tier than those of South American, European or North American markets. Indonesia also has a large Muslim population whose dietary habits are closely tied to religious practice, and many imported foods require Halal certification. We asked customers about this in detail and now have a working understanding of the basic Halal certification process.
The show reinforced a simple lesson: markets open up only when you genuinely understand the demand behind them. There is significant follow-up work ahead, above all organizing the customer information we gathered, reading the market accurately, identifying new customer needs early and building the support services to match.
Written by Xiao Lifan
