Food Expo and concurrent fairs attract over 520,000 visits, setting all-time record
Announcement posted by ACN Newswire 18 Aug 2026
Strong demand for health and wellness solutions
HONG KONG, August 17, 2026 - (ACN Newswire) - The Food Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo and Home Delights Expo, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), concluded successfully today. The two trade fairs — Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair — also closed on 15 August. The five fairs brought together over 1,850 exhibitors from more than 30 countries and regions, attracting over 520,000 public visits in total - a record high. Per capita spending continued to grow, reaching HK$1,685, reflecting the continued vibrancy of the local consumer market and strong public demand for gourmet food, healthy living and quality home products.
For trade exhibitions, the Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair drew some 20,000 buyers from 64 countries and regions. Apart from Hong Kong, buyers came from Chinese Mainland, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, as well as ASEAN countries, including Indonesia, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines, among others, reinforcing Hong Kong's unique advantages as a food trading hub.
The International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, organised by the Modernized Chinese Medicine International Association (MCMIA) together with the HKTDC and ten scientific research institutions, also concluded successfully on 15 August. Over 30 distinguished speakers attended to discuss innovation, research and development in Chinese medicine, and global opportunities.
Smilely Lam, Associate Executive Director of the HKTDC, said: "This year's fairs received an enthusiastic response. Attendance recorded solid growth, and per capita spending reached a record high alongside visitor numbers, reflecting the strong market demand for quality food, healthy living and novel experiences. This year's five fairs, themed 'Live Well · Stay Well', gathered a diverse range of food and beverage, wellness and related lifestyle products, services and experiences from around the world, comprehensively showcasing the latest trends in the health and wellness sector, and creating more business opportunities for the industry."
Ms Lam added: "We are pleased to see the fairs attracting a broader range of international participation. Exhibitors, buyers and industry representatives concluded multiple cooperation and procurement agreements, underscoring Hong Kong's position as an important trade platform connecting Chinese Mainland and international markets, as well as its role as an international food trade hub. Buyers' purchasing intentions show that market demand continues to grow for health and functional products, convenience foods, specialty foods and premium tea products. Products with sustainable development concepts and international certifications such as Halal certification are also gaining popularity, reflecting the industry's proactive response to consumers' pursuit of healthy living, quality experiences and responsible consumption, injecting growth momentum into the market."
Per capita spending reaches record high of HK$1,685; Health and wellness products in the spotlight
During the fairs, the organiser conducted a random sampling survey, interviewing more than 1,430 visitors. The per capita spending continued to grow, reaching HK$1,685, with 87% of respondents indicating that their actual spending was in line with or exceeded their budget, reflecting stable consumer sentiment. The fairs also successfully aligned with the healthy living consumption trend, with over 80% of respondents expressing interest in health and wellness-related products. The product categories of greatest interest to respondents included health and functional foods (62%), health supplements and nutritional products (51%), as well as mental and physical wellness products and healthy lifestyle items (40%). Among the respondents who are aware that the fairs have a halal food and beverage label, more than half of the respondents (53%) believed that halal food and beverage label helps promote halal products, while 51% noted the silver-age products and services showcased at the fairground, reflecting the continued growth potential of these markets.
Public fairs draw strong crowds; buoyant spending atmosphere
Over five days, The Food Expo, The Beauty & Wellness Expo and The Home Delights Expo offered visitors a diverse range of international food, beauty and wellness products, as well as home living experiences. Five themed days were held throughout the fairs, encouraging visitors to embrace quality living through product showcases, expert sharing and interactive experiences. The fairs also featured a variety of special products and limited-time offers, attracting strong visitor traffic and generating encouraging sales results. The Food Expo's Gourmet Zone featured Hong Kong's first chewy treats themed market, featuring chewy desserts that received an enthusiastic on-site response. Henry Ling, Executive Director and General Manager (Asset Management) of Uni-China Group, said the 12 participating exhibitors expected to generate total sales of HK$1 million to HK$1.4 million during the fair.
Held concurrently, the Beauty & Wellness Expo brought visitors a wide range of holistic wellness experiences, including fragrance, health and fitness demonstrations. Among the highlights was an aroma-emotion testing experience presented by Xuelei Fragrance Museum from Guangzhou, drawing a continuous stream of visitors throughout the fair. The newly launched "Stay Relax" zone showcased products designed to relieve fatigue and promote relaxation. Alan Ho, Founder and Chairman of Hong Kong wellness brand Vogue Bio, said the brand's expo-exclusive buy-one-get-one-free promotion was well received by visitors. He expected total sales during the five-day fair to exceed HK$1 million, far surpassing his expectations.
The Home Delights Expo showcased a range of smart home solutions, trendy household products and sleep technology. Sleep Health Association, exhibiting for the first time, set up a "Go Sleep Exp", where many visitors came to learn about ways to improve sleep quality and related health information. Cyrus Chiu, president of the Association, said the pavilion featured a first-of-its-kind sleeping experiential project in Asia, drew strong visitor traffic through its innovative design and helped enhance public awareness and understanding of sleep health.
Trade fairs expand business networks, help mainland enterprises reach new markets
The HKTDC is actively assisting quality mainland food products in expanding into overseas markets. This year marks the fourth consecutive year of the Chinese Mainland premium agricultural products "Going Global" exchange and matchmaking event, which facilitates mainland enterprises in leveraging Hong Kong's international business platform to expand into overseas markets. The event was attended by Chan Kwok-ki, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong SAR Government, who delivered a keynote address. At the matching session, the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the HKSAR Government signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with representatives from Hunan, Xizang and Shandong to strengthen cooperation between Hong Kong and these three regions. The event recorded intended transactions exceeding HK$1.8 billion, setting new records in both the breadth of industry participation and total intended deal value. Peng Tingjun, Director-General of the Agricultural Trade Promotion Center of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, said that more than 100 agricultural enterprises from over 10 Chinese Mainland provinces and regions brought more than 1,000 specialty products to Hong Kong, enabling visitors to experience distinctive agricultural traditions while helping Chinese agriculture reach global markets through Hong Kong.
Making its debut at the Food Expo, the Xizang Pavilion achieved encouraging results Nagqu State-owned Capital Investment and Operation and Xizang Baqing Qizhen Industry successfully signed a MoU with a Hong Kong importer, with an estimated annual cooperation value exceeding RMB100 million, aiming to further expand the market for Xizang Naqu cordyceps. Another Chinese Mainland exhibitor, Henan Yunong Youpin Operation Management, following its participation in the Central Asia business delegation led by the Chief Executive in June this year, successfully connected with agricultural research and national investment bodies in Kazakhstan and plans to establish an agricultural industrial park there. Making its debut at the Food Expo this time, Fan Na, Chairperson of the company, stated that the company successfully connect with two wholesalers through the expo, with a target cooperation scale of RMB 10 million.
This year, the Korea Pavilion expanded its size by 40%, gathering over 130 exhibitors and become the largest overseas pavilion. During the Food Expo PRO, the HKTDC signed a MoU with the Korea Agro-fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. Kim Kwangseok, Branch Director of the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation's office in Hong Kong, said: "Hong Kong has long been a strategically important market for Korean agri-food products. It is not only our sixth largest export market, but also a crucial springboard for entering the Greater Bay Area and the Chinese Mainland markets. Beyond Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland, the expo also helps Korean enterprises connect with importers and distributors from Singapore and other Asian markets, making it an important platform for international expansion."
The Food Expo PRO and the Food Expo featured the halal food and beverage label for the third consecutive year. This year, over 130 food suppliers showcased halal food from around the world. Tai Po Chun Hing, a local heritage brand with nearly 60 years of history, has been a regular participant at the Food Expo and joined the Food Expo PRO for the first time this year. At the newly introduced "Meat Zone", it presented halal-certified beef tendon balls made in Hong Kong. Pius Chan, Executive Director of the company, said "On the first day of the expo, we met over 20 buyers from the Philippines, Thailand, and the Middle East, and expect orders worth between HK$500,000 and HK$1 million. We are also showcasing carbon-neutral beef balls that meet carbon footprint standards, demonstrating our commitment to ESG."
SBY Frozen Food Supply, a Singapore-based halal meat manufacturer and distributor with a history of nearly 80 years, also identified Brazilian suppliers of raw beef and chicken products during the Expo. Abdul Halim Hafizuddin, Business Development Manager of the company, estimated the company's annual procurement value could reach between US$3 million and US$5 million.
The spotlighted "Food Science and Technology Zone" featured innovative food technologies, including pet food solutions that attracted strong buyer interest. Felix Cheung, Founder and CEO of IXON Food Technology, said: "We received enquiries from more than 200 buyers on the first day of the expo, including buyers from Korea, Kazakhstan, Timor-Leste, Europe and Arab markets. Based on current discussions, the potential business value is estimated at between US$500,000 and US$1.3 million."
The Coffee Zone at Food Expo PRO highlighted the growing potential of the coffee market, showcasing coffee products from different origins, accessories and coffee machines. First-time exhibitor Hawaii Coffee Association promote Hawaiian coffee and other specialty products at the expo. Ralph Gaston, Board Member and Secretary of the Association, said they had connected with more than 100 buyers during the expo and expect to conclude business within the next two to three months.
A seminar titled " Brewing ASEAN Connections: Coffee Origins, Market Trends and Business Opportunities" was also held. Prof. Simon Wong, Chairman of the Belt and Road International Coffee Alliance, stated at the seminar that the Alliance will connect around 150 Belt and Road markets, further consolidating Hong Kong's role as an international coffee trading hub. Combined with Hong Kong's unique advantage as a "super-connector," the city is well-positioned to become a two-way gateway for the coffee industry.
Held concurrently, the Hong Kong International Tea Fair introduced the new "Tea Lifestyle" zone, featuring a variety of innovative tea beverages, tea-inspired products and interactive experiences. Among the exhibitors was local tea brand BASAO, which made its debut at the fair and launched its new mellow black oolong. Katherine Yu, Director of Operations of BASAO, said they conducted around 30 business meetings with buyers mainly from Thailand, Japan and Egypt during the fair. In addition to overseas buyers, the brand is also connected with local enterprises including Cathay Pacific and Yung Kee, as well as potential partners from the digital marketing, content creation and new retail sectors, opening up new cross-industry collaboration opportunities.
The Tea Fair also featured the new Chinese Mainland Matcha Pavilion. Chen Haiyan, Manager of the Industry Development Department of Hangzhou Jingshan Tea Development, said the pavilion connected with buyers from Hong Kong, Japan, Southeast Asia, India, Europe, and the United States during the fair. Among them, a Thai company expressed interest in purchasing around 20 tonnes of matcha powder, while buyers from India and Hong Kong indicated interest in procuring 10 and 100 smart matcha machines respectively.
The Kenya Pavilion also reported encouraging results. This year, the Tea Board of Kenya led nine companies to exhibit at the fair. David Muriuki, Deputy Director of Trade Advisory of the Board, said the potential business deals made across the companies reached more than US$10 million, with one exhibitor alone connecting with more than 80 prospective business partners. During the fair, the Board also signed a MOU with HKTDC to strengthen market connections and trade promotion cooperation.
Hybrid model connects local and overseas business opportunities
This year, both the Food Expo PRO and Hong Kong International Tea Fair continued to adopt the hybrid exhibition model "EXHIBITION+" to allow global food and tea buyers to conduct business through both physical exhibitions and online platforms simultaneously. Until 22 August, exhibitors and buyers can still conduct online negotiations through the "Click2Match" intelligent matching platform to explore business opportunities.
Chinese medicine international exchange promotes industry development
The International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine & Health Products, funded by the HKSAR Government's Chinese Medicine Development Fund, was themed "Clinical Translation, Regulatory Policies and Global Innovative Pathways of Traditional Medicine". It invited over 30 experts, scholars and industry leaders from 11 countries and regions to jointly discuss international regulations for Chinese medicine and the latest market development trends, promoting international exchange and cooperation in Chinese medicine. This year, the organiser featured interactive games and displays at a "Multi-Facet of Chinese Medicines" public education display at the Food Expo, as well as a "Chinese Medicine Health Public Forum", to promote the advantages of Chinese medicine services and wellness culture, enhancing public awareness and understanding of Chinese medicine.
Photo download: https://bit.ly/3UDevP9
To learn more about the opinions of exhibitors and buyers, please visit:
HKTDC Food Expo PRO
Hong Kong International Tea Fair
HKTDC Food Expo
HKTDC Beauty & Wellness Expo
HKTDC Home Delights Expo
The International Conference of the Modernization of Chinese Medicine and Health Products (ICMCM)
August Happy Buy website
HKTDC's Communications and Public Affairs Department
Katy Wong
Tel: (852) 2584 4524
Email: katy.ky.wong@hktdc.org
Winnie Kan
Tel: (852) 2584 4055
Email: winnie.wy.kan@hktdc.org
Clayton Lauw
Tel: (852) 2584 4472
Email: clayton.y.lauw@hktdc.org
Media Room: http://mediaroom.hktdc.com
About HKTDC
The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. The HKTDC is a statutory body established in 1966 to promote, assist and develop Hong Kong's trade. With over 50 offices globally, including 13 in the Chinese Mainland, the HKTDC promotes Hong Kong as a two-way global investment and business hub. The HKTDC organises international exhibitions, conferences and business missions to create business opportunities for companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the mainland and international markets. The HKTDC also provides up-to-date market insights and product information via research reports and digital news channels. For more information, please visit: www.hktdc.com/aboutus.