Food producers often integrate food trade shows in their marketing and networking strategies, to promote their products and gain visibility among importers. These events serve as a platform to showcase their offerings, establish connections with potential customers, and gain a deeper understanding of the industry. Furthermore, they offer a chance to network with other food producers and learn from their experiences. But most importantly, food trade shows hold the potential to boost sales.
Let us share some powerful tips on making the most of attending an expo dedicated to the food industry!
Let’s start with some of the most important trade shows on the planet:
| NAME | DETAILS | LOCATION & DATE |
| Salon Gourmets | Salon Gourmets is one of the main European events dedicated to fine foods and beverages and one of the most prestigious in the world.
+2.000 Exhibitors +100.000 Visitors +50.000 Products |
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| Anuga | Anuga is the world’s leading trade fair for food and beverages – vibrant, versatile, and dynamic.
7,972 Exhibitors from all over the world Over 169.653 Visitors from 201 countries 90% of the exhibitors are international |
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| SIAL | SIAL America is the United States’ premier cross-category food and beverage tradeshow and conference.
+7000 Visitors +500 Exhibitors |
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*We made a visit to Salon Gourmet back in 2022. Check it out!
The good news is that there is a wide variety of food trade events all around the world and all year round so it’s not hard to find one that fits your conpany’s profile and budget. Tradefairdates is a great resource to consult when you are looking for expos, encompassing most of the events announced for that year.
Get as much information as possible about the event.
Inform yourself properly about the event you are going to attend. Check the articles about the previous editions, and see what were the popular things that created buzz. If you happen to have a friend who already participated earlier, don’t shy away from asking him to share his knowledge with you. Try to learn as much as you can about the people attending, the exhibitors, the marketing tactics that created buzz, and even the plan of the room.
Now it’s also the time to learn about the financial, logistical, and technological implications of attending this event. Usually, every event has an official website that features all the information you would need to know and you can also double-check with the hosts via email if you have any particular questions.
Prepare your marketing strategy.
Now that you’ve got an idea about the show you are going to exhibit, it’s time you create your marketing strategy. Start by answering important questions like “why would someone choose you over another producer?”. Think about how you can promote your products in a way that will spark interest among attendees and also how are you going to present yourself to them, as a producer/brand.
Assuming you’ve already Identified costs, start preparing a marketing budget that would bring you ROI and also don’t forget to choose and train the attending team on the strategy you’ve chosen.
Set realistic goals & metrics to measure your plan`s efficiency.
We’ve already settled the importance of these food events, but why did you want to attend this particular one? The more exact you’ll be in your approach, the more precise you can be in measuring your success after the show is over.
Do you look for brand awareness? Do you seek to directly approach food importers, to expand your business? How will you measure your success? How many food importers do you plan to approach? How many deals do you want to have at the end of the day? Think about these questions and settle your goals for the event.
Educate yourself about the latest trends in the food industry.
Most people would say you’ll check the pulse of the industry by attending the event, and sure, you will learn a lot, but the more knowledge you soak up beforehand, the more credibility you’ll have among your potential business partners. Imagine a big importer would come to you for building a business relationship but he would ask you many questions to which you won’t know how to respond. It’s important you know as much as you can about generalities like supply-demand status, market trends, a few other food events, general news, trade barriers or agreements, business climate, and etiquette.
You are here to meet like-minded people. You face a great opportunity to make business connections, whether it’s food importers, food distributors, wholesalers, brokers, or influencers, you name it.
Put yourself out there!
Tell the world you are coming! Announce the right people that you’ll be attending and give a sneak peek of your presence, creating interest for your peers. A round of email invitations should be just right.
And luckily, you don’t have to spend much time or money on it! We’ve created 20+ original email templates for expo invitations dedicated to food producers. Access them now for FREE in our Marketing Academy section which is available for all the users who have a subscription to one of the BestFoodImporters Databases.
Food Expo Invitation 1
Food Expo Invitation 2
Food Expo Invitation 3
And last but not least, use the BestFoodImporters Databases the right source of leads for any food producer just like you to send this invitations and presentations about your brand! Competition is high so make sure you stand out!
When the show is over, it’s time you show your business manners and follow up with the new connections you’ve just formed. A few days after the event, remind people of your interaction and move forward with any promises you’ve made. Additionally, a general “thank for stopping by” email would also put you in a good light.
Make the best of your experience and good luck!
