By Edu Abade
Food and Beverage West Africa (FBWA), already the continent’s largest food and drink trade exhibition, is set to expand into new space at the Landmark Centre in June.
Organisers of the fair revealed that following sustained demand for exhibition space, they are working with the Landmark Centre on Victoria Island, Lagos to add a fourth exhibition hall to the event.
This means that the exhibition has the potential to almost double its floor area size since last year’s event, which sold out the two existing exhibition halls. Since then, a third hall has opened and now a fourth semi-permanent marquee-type hall is being constructed.
The trade show is due to run from Tuesday, June 13, 2023 to Thursday, June 15, 2023 and will see exhibitors from more than 30 countries.
Among 10 country pavilions will be new pavilions featuring foods, drinks, equipment and services from India, Dubai and Russia, while the United Nation’s International Trade Centre (ITC) organisation will be sending a delegation of West African producers, including delegates from Gambia and Liberia. Indonesia will also be sending a delegation.
Food & Beverage West Africa is organised by BtoB Events, which has grown to be Africa’s largest trade event organiser with an expanding exhibition portfolio in Nigeria. It’s Managing Director, Jamie Hill, is delighted to see demand growing for more exhibition space.
He said: “The expansion of the trade fair reflects the confidence in Nigeria’s economic landscape to the extent that people are ready for Nigeria to do business and the Food and Beverage exhibition is now at a truly international scale.
“We anticipate that there will be no fewer than 5,000 visitors representing food retailing, production and distribution, as well as the hospitality sector, who will be keen to see the latest developments and business opportunities from more than 300 exhibitors.”
Among the show partners is the Restaurant and Food Service Proprietors Association of Nigeria (REFSPAN).
A spokesman for the event said: “Food and Beverage West Africa gives REFSPAN members a bouquet of opportunities to meet with key players in major parts of the world that are beneficial to the dynamism and the growth REFSPAN desire, in order to promote more and expand the QSR [quick-service restaurant] business in Nigeria.”
The release of the additional exhibition space is allowing the organisers to take more bookings, and companies interested in having a stand at Food & Beverage West Africa should contact the Exhibition Manager, Brad Smith
Visitors will be able to attend the show free if they preregister at https://www.fab-westafrica.com/pre-register/, otherwise a nominal fee will be charged at the door.
Food and Beverage West Africa’s Gold Sponsor is Just Food, and the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) is professional partner.
Sponsors and partners for the event include Just Food; National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS); Oke-Arin Trades’ Association, Lagos; Onitsha Main Markets Traders Union (OMMATU); Ogbaru Main Market Traders Association (OMMTA); Eziukwu Market Food and Beverage Dealers Association, Aba and the Business Association of Nigeria
Others are the Association of Food Vendors in Nigeria (AFVN); Conference of AgriBusiness in Nigeria (CABIN); Association of Professional Food Services Providers of Nigeria (APFSPN); Culinary Arts Practitioners Association of Nigeria (CAPAN) and African Businesses and Exporters Network (ABEN).
