What Brexit effect?
No Brexit effect as Brussels gears up for bumper exhibition
AS the countdown begins to the slightly later than usual Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Fish Farmer asked Wynter Courmont, event director for organiser Diversified Communications, what the world’s biggest seafood show has in store this year.
What impact do you think Brexit will have on the expo?
We have not seen any impacts from Brexit to date.
You have expanded the exhibition space this year – where has the demand for growth come from?
This year we are on track to exceed last year’s net square metres of exhibit space occupied. The demand for growth has come from both the seafood and processing sides of the event. Some of the growth comes from new exhibitor participation from countries like Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Scotland, Spain and China. We still have about five weeks left before the event and are still receiving a lot of interest from companies wanting to participate.
Is the expansion only in the processing part of the expo?
As mentioned above, the expansion is on both the seafood and processing sides of the Expo. Seafood Expo Processing will now encompass Hall 3 and Hall 4 at the Brussels Expo with additional seafood processing companies exhibiting. Seafood Expo Global will now occupy Halls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11 and the Patio with seafood exhibits. The Seafood Excellence Global stand will now be located in Hall 8. We are always looking into expanding the event as we continue receiving interest from both seafood and processing companies from around the world.
Do you see any particular trends in exhibitors/registrations (so far) this year – in terms of countries participating, or products?
Based on the products entered in the Seafood Excellence Global Awards competition, we can see continued interest in smoked products in traditional and ultra-premium formats, as well as new smoked species and product applications. There are a great number of products based on traditional Asian dishes, flavours and ingredients. Seaweed in a variety of products and applications is also an emerging trend.
The exposition is the place where seafood buyers from around the globe can find the latest product trends in the industry and see the best products presented at the event. At the Seafood Excellence Global Awards reception (May 7), winners for the Best Retail Product and the Best Hotel/Restaurant/Catering (HORECA) Product will be announced.
Consumers are paying more attention to what they eat and where the seafood they buy comes from. There will be a lot of conversations around sustainability, traceability, transparency, and certification across all levels of the supply chain.
Are you anticipating a record year in terms of visitors?
At this time, it is too early to comment on visitors’ numbers as we still have five weeks left before the event. Last year’s Seafood Expo Global/ Seafood Processing Global broke a record in verified attendance with a total of 29,130 buyers and sellers coming from around the globe.
Has the aquaculture sector become a bigger part of the expo this year?
Over the past few years, we have seen more and more visitors in aquaculture attending Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global. From the 2016 to the 2018 edition, this segment (in terms of visitors) has increased by more than 16 per cent (based on visitor registration data from 2016-2018).
On the exhibitor side, the number of companies self-reporting as being involved in aquaculture/farm raised has increased by 31.5 per cent from 2016 to 2018.
Who are the first time exhibitors (countries) in 2019?
Among this year’s exhibitors, more than 70 national and regional pavilions will showcase their seafood products and equipment, with new pavilion participation from Taiwan Fishing Gears Manufacturing Industries Association (Taiwan) and from South Korea, including BusanTechno Park, Jeonnam Bioindustry Foundation – Marine Biotechnology Research Centre, and Tongyeong City. New country participation will include Angola, Colombia, Greenland, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania and Uganda.
What kind of seminar programme are you running alongside the exhibition?
This year, the event is launching the first session of the Seafood Expo Global Series on Women in Leadership. This inaugural event will kick off with a panel discussion, What Government and the Private Sector Can do to Support the Inclusion of Women in the Seafood Industry, featuring Canadian officials and speakers in the global seafood industry. They will discuss the importance of supporting women in the industry, with examples of companies that are already promoting the participation of women at all levels.
Following the panel, Mary Larkin, president of Diversified Communications, will interview Marie Christine Monfort, co-founder and president of the International Organisation for Women in the Seafood Industry (WSI). She will share her experiences as a seafood market analyst advising private businesses, national public institutions, and international organisations, before promoting gender equality in the seafood industry through WSI. This event is open to all registered attendees of Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global.
Do you know yet what political delegations are visiting this year?
Appointments with official governments are being arranged at this time so it is too early to comment on who is attending. Last year we welcomed more than 74 official delegations from 34 countries at Seafood Expo Global/Seafood Processing Global.
Will the expo always be held in Brussels?
The location of our event is continuously evaluated as many factors need to be considered in order to host an event of more than 29,000 exhibitors and visitors every year. Brussels offers many advantages for our event: easy access from many countries, infrastructure, airport, train station, highway, metro and bus systems to make it easy for international attendees to come in and out of the city, and a variety of housing options.
Any surprises for 2020?
While we are already thinking about 2020, our focus at the moment is on delivering a successful event for our exhibitors and visitors this May 2019, in Brussels.
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“The number of companies selfreporting as being involved in aquaculture has increased by 2018” 31.5 per cent from 2016 to