Taipei International Food Show kicks off

By Joseph Yeh

Taiwan News, Staff Reporter



People check out a booth at the Food Taipei exhibition yesterday.
Taiwan News



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A man spins a plate in the air during a ceremony to launch the 2009
“Food Taipei” exhibitions,which are being held at the Taipei World
Trade Center Nangang Exhibition Hall until Friday.
Taiwan News


The annual major food event in Asia, the Taipei International Food
Show, kicked off yesterday at the Taipei World Trade Center Nangang
Exhibition Hall.

“The
Taipei International Food Show is not only a crucial platform for
Taiwan’s food industry to connect the world, but also an important
annual event in the Asian food industry that is celebrating its 19th
year,” said Chao Yuen-chuan, president and CEO of Taiwan External Trade
Development Council yesterday during his opening speech of Food Taipei
2009. Chao said that even amid the global recession, the scale of the
show still increased slightly this year, with 825 exhibitors occupying
1,629 booths, surpassing the previous year’s record.

Food Taipei
is one Taipei’s most international trade shows, said Chao, adding that
he would like to express his gratitude to the 23 countries that set up
national pavilions in one of the most representative exhibitions in
Asia.

Newcomers for this year’s event, including the UK pavilion,
Mexico pavilion, the Peru pavilion and Hungary’s pavilion will add new
flavors to Food Taipei.

The Taiwan pavilion, is the largest
pavilion. Domestic market leaders include I-Mei Foods, Taiwan Sugar and
Taiwan Tobacco & Liquor.

Also, flagship foods from five of
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies that have signed free trade agreements with
the country are on display at the food show, featuring twenty companies
from Panama, Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras.

In
addition to the numerous national pavilions, this year Food Taipei has
a special exhibition zone, the first-ever Halal food pavilion, which is
designed to promote new business opportunities and cater for the
world’s 1.8 million Muslims.