Africa, with its vast potential, is set to attract a slew of investors ahead of the food and beverage expo Africa’s Big 7 (AB7)
Event organisers believe that Africa should get its status as an economic powerhouse on a stable path to growth, especially with a strong population of around 1.1bn. In addition to having impressive numbers, there are atleast four countries that are among the fastest growing on the continent – Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, DR Congo and Mozambique – making the continent a high potential region.
AB7 will tap into the vast number of opportunities in the continent, especially gaps created due to low crop yields and limited production volumes triggered by persistent droughts. Last year, there were around 14,000 visitors and delegates from 72 countries. Forty nine countries participated in the exhibition, up from 35 in 2014. New international exhibitors included companies from Belarus, Belgium, Chile, Estonia, France, Peru, Ukraine and Vietnam.
This year, organisers claim to have received enquires from Cyprus, Bulgaria, Spain and Greece. “The financial challenges in parts of South America, the EU, Middle East and Far East are driving manufacturers and suppliers to explore markets further afield, and they have Africa firmly in their sights – this is certainly boosting exhibitor interest in AB7 so we’re not complaining,” stated John Thomson, Exhibition Management Services (organisers of AB7).
The growing exhibitor curiosity has been piqued by the presence of interactive events and special categories. This year, AB7 will have Agri Food, DrinkTechAfrica, FoodBiz Africa, FoodTech Africa, Pan Africa Retail Exhibition (which has Retail Solutions Africa and Halaal World).
There has also been strong growth in the number of African countries at AB7. Last year’s show had visitors and exhibitors from 27 African countries – Angola, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, Gabon, Germany, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Following a successful appearance at earlier shows, exhibitors such as FrigoGlass and Xpitec endorse AB7. FrigoGlass will additionally be showcasing new products at AB7 2016 such as beverage coolers that consume low levels of energy. This year, Xpitec will showcase Xemote IoT – a cloud-based remote monitoring system that provides real-time notification and historical data analysis.
Lastly, AB7 will be a huge draw as it will be co-located with Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX).
AB7 will be held between 19-21 June 2016 at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, South Africa
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