30 nationalities registered to visit AB7 and SAITEX

PRESS OFFICE: Exhibition Management Servicesems235x140

With six weeks still to go until Africa’s biggest business opportunities expo opens, visitors from 30 nations have already registered online to attend this world-renowned event. Together, Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) and the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX) represent the single biggest food & beverage, and business opportunities expo, on the African continent. AB7 and SAITEX both take place from 22 to 24 June at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand in Johannesburg.

“Exhibitor support for AB7 2014 has been phenomenal so far, with exhibitors signing up from countries around the world, including Bahrain, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Morocco, Poland Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates,” says show organiser John Thomson of Exhibition Management Services. “But even more interesting is that out of the 30 countries from where visitors have registered to attend, 27 are in Africa.”

Thomson cites stagnating first-world economies and declining markets as drivers for global companies to explore Africa as the ‘New Frontier’ for business. And Africa’s Big Seven is the ideal business platform for the African food and beverage industry. “The ongoing success of AB7 confirms it’s an effective business springboard into Africa,” adds Thomson.

“Last year we had visitors to AB7 from more than 52 countries around the world,” continues Thomson. “The show has become an effective platform for hooking up prospective suppliers, customers and partners interested in doing business in Africa. And with its young, expanding and increasingly wealthy population, Africa has become ‘New Frontier’ for global business opportunities.”

AB7’s African attraction

Visitors are flocking to AB7 from countries like Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Thomson expects this number to increase in the weeks ahead. A welcome newcomer to the group of visiting countries is Ethiopia.

Variety and innovation at AB7

There is always something new at AB7 and this year visitors can look forward to even more of the latest food and beverage offerings from around the world. A few examples.

  • Tinned legumes from Dubai: Gulf Food Industries California Gardens exports canned food products to 50 countries and is looking for a long-term partnership with a Southern African distributor.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Morocco: Lesieur Cristal is a leading Moroccan producer of a wide range of olive and other oils.
  • Chocolate Products from Iran: The Parand Chocolate Company introduces their Farmand brand, providing premium quality selections of chocolates and sweets from a 50-year old family business.

More benefits, more business

As the African continent’s biggest food and beverage trade show, Africa’s Big Seven promises more and delivers more. This seven-in-one expo showcases thousands of food, beverage and equipment products in hundreds of categories, from 300 local and international exhibitors. AB7 delivers new suppliers, new customers, new products, new markets and new opportunities.

As an added benefit this year, visitors who register online can receive a free online subscription to four of Italy’s leading English language trade magazines – Italian Food Materials and Machinery World, Italian Food Excellence, Hotel World and Vineyard, Wine and Quality.

SAITEX takes place at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand, Johannesburg, from 22-24 June, 2014

For more information on SAITEX, contact Lineke van der Brugghen, Exhibition Management Services. Tel: +27 11 783 7250. Fax: +27 11 783 7269. E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.exhibitionsafrica.com or Anina Hough, SAITEX. Email: [email protected]


About Exhibition Management Services

South Africa-based Exhibition Management Services (EMS) is one of the longest established event organisers in the country and is the only events company on the continent with years of experience in delivering Pan African exhibition programmes.

With nearly 30 years of networking in Africa, EMS’s database is unique in the industry and enables the unrivalled identification, notification and participation of qualified international trade visitors to its events.