The city of Gwangju reported that it opened Gwangju Food Fair 2022 in the Kimdaejung Convention Center in Gwangju between the past 13th (Thurs) and 16th (Sun).
Having its 17th iteration this year, the Gwangju Food Fair was opened simultaneously with theGwangju International Tea Fair, hosting the biggest fair yet with 330 companies attending the festival in 450 booths. They showcased various food related items in different categories, including agricultural, livestock, and forestry products, processed foods, regional specialties, organic foods, health foods, home meal replacements, and food processing and packaging devices.
There were various booths by each category this year. In addition to the ‘Moonlight Alliance Hall’, which grew to be a place of exchange between outstanding food companies in Gwangju and Daegu, other halls were also opened, including the Gwangju Outstanding Traditional Food Hall, Jeonnam Outstanding Agricultural Food Hall, and International Food Hall.
In particular, the ‘Local Food Hall’, where local governments of Gwangju, Jeollanamdo, and places in the Honam region like the city of Naju, city of Jeongeup, Hwasun County, Jangseong County, and Damyang Countrycan exhibit and sell their regional specialties, was opened for the first time.
In addition, the embassies of Bangladesh, Cambodia, and New Zealand were also in attendance this year, exhibiting foods from overseas that are usually hard to come by, like natural white honey, and Cowalamilk-based formula.
SME distribution centers and distribution MDs like Lotte GRS, CJ, and Wemakepricewere invited and had purchase related consultations with attending companies and provided opportunities to develop domestic markets to food companies in Gwangju. 1:1 virtual consultation with buyers from 7 countries including the US, Vietnam, and China took place under the joint oversight of KOTRA.
On the first day of the fair on the 13th, reporter Alexandra Stephenson introduced the main products of attending companies in English and Korean through a live stream (Gwangju Food Fair 2022 LIVE). Even after the fair, video content of each company was edited and posted on the official YouTube channel of the fair, allowing the companies to use them.
In addition to the numerous things to eat, there were also various additional events at the fair. The Korea Food Industry Association heldthe ‘2022 Hygiene Lesson for Existing Food BusinessOperators in the Jurisdiction’ at the fair, and there were also other seminarswith various themes like, Gwangju Regional Office of Food and Drug Safety’s ‘2022 HACCP Development Council’, and the World Institute of Kimchi’s ‘Discussionfor Functional Label Kimchi Market Pioneering and Understanding the Distribution Industry’,in addition to other events which were held for the professional visitors. It is expected that this will show academic information of food related industry trends and serve as a catalyst to improve work competency.
Various events for normal visitors were also prepared. Programs for visitors to directly experience like ‘Traditional Dessert Making’, ‘Sugar Cupcake Making’, and ‘Cloth Wrapping Experience’, early bird events, and SNS promotional events were held.
In addition, the ‘Korean Rice and Wheat Confectionary and Baking Festival’ and the ‘Local Dish Exhibition’ were held under the oversight of the Gwangju and JeonnamBranch of the Korea Bakery Association and Jeollanamdo Agricultural Research & Extension Services.
The Gwangju Food Fair, hosted by the city of Gwangju and organized by the Kimdaejung Convention Center and Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), is the biggest and only food industry fair in the Honam region that showcases local specialties, health foods, drinks, desserts, and food industry devices in one place. The Gwangju International Tea Fair was also held at the same time as the fair.
