The HKTDC Food Expo Pro in Hong Kong, renowned as one of the world’s largest food industry events, has recently ended, drawing in thousands of attendees and exhibitors. This year’s edition brought together participants from 30 countries, with approximately 1,860 exhibitors and over 500,000 visitors from various parts of the world. Among them were European beef exporters, who promoted top-quality meat from the EU as part of the “European beef in Asian markets” campaign.

The surge in interest in European beef in Asian markets is a testament to the European Union’s long-term strategy to promote its products in Asia. The fair participants had the opportunity to learn more about the advantages of European beef, such as Europe’s high breeding standards, natural feeding, high-quality meat, food safety, and sustainable production. These values, increasingly appreciated by Asian consumers, give European meat an added competitive advantage and pave the way for a promising future in Asian markets.

One fundamental aspect of participation at the fair involved promoting European beef in Asian markets and establishing business-to-business (B2B) connections between industry professionals and local importers.
 These talks focused on the quality and certification of meat products, trade conditions, logistics, and market trends.

Mr Michal Kolodziejski, the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Hong Kong, visited the UPEMI booth. The discussion centred on the economic and business aspects of supporting European exports to Asian countries.

During the trip, representatives from the meat industry also visited local stores in the city to acquaint themselves with the variety and accessibility of meat products and with the distribution, display, and packaging methods employed for such products. 

Including campaign representatives for European beef promotion at the Hong Kong fair is a strategic move by the European Union to advance its broader trade policy objectives, particularly in expanding its foothold in Asian markets. The EU is actively negotiating free trade agreements with countries in the region. Examples include successful contracts with Japan and South Korea, where European beef benefits from preferential tariffs and better export conditions.

The HKTDC Food Expo 2024 was a platform for fostering new business relations and promoting European products in Asian markets. It provided European meat producers with an opportunity to expand their presence in the growing Asian market, as their products gained popularity due to the increased interest in healthy, safe and sustainable food.

The delegation members departed Hong Kong with the firm conviction that it is a fascinating and expanding market. The conversations with importers during the meetings shed light on their forthcoming plans. We are confident that campaign representatives’ participation in the event will contribute to the growth of beef exports to the Chinese market.