FHM 2022 provided a welcome resumption of face-to-face business networking during its first post-COVID-19 physical event

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, May 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The 16^th edition of Food and Hotel Malaysia (FHM) concluded its highly anticipated return after two years with a successful four-day run at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 29 March to 1 April 2022. The premier Malaysian exhibition was the first physical event organised by Informa Markets within the ASEAN region in the post-pandemic era and delivered a welcome return to face-to-face business networking for top brands and buyers spanning the food and hospitality industry.

FHM 2022 featured a diverse cross-section of 264 participating brands and companies from various industry segments across its events spaces, with several international exhibitors from Singapore, Philippines, Thailand, China, Japan and Belgium also participating despite ongoing travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

The event drew a huge response from industry players looking to bounce back from the impacts of the pandemic, with a better-than-expected turnout of 12,680 unique trade visitors attending FHM 2022 during the week. While the majority of attendees were locals, the internationally renowned event nevertheless drew some overseas buyers from neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Brunei and Indonesia, as well as several visitors from China, Australia, USA and a few other countries. A total of 53.9% of all visitors were attending FHM for the first time, while 44.4% were returning visitors that had attended previous iterations of the event.

Thanks to the high visitor turnout, FHM 2022 was successful in generating a total revenue of USD50 mil in business conducted on the show floor during the four event days.

"FHM 2022 proved to be a perfect starting point for us to bring trade shows back to the ASEAN region. From the hustle and bustle that was on the show floor from the very first day, it was clear that our exhibitors and visitors were enthusiastic to be once again conducting face-to-face business after this two-year hiatus," said Mr Gerard Leeuwenburgh, Country General Manager of Informa Markets Malaysia.

FHM 2022 offered a comprehensive array of activities and themed seminars that proved to be the ideal platform for industry players to discover the latest innovations and developments within the F&B and hospitality markets. Visitors came not only to meet up with existing suppliers or source for new ones, but also to uncover the latest food, beverage, packaging, automation and hygiene related trends that they could adopt to innovate their business activities and product offerings.

Amongst the most sought-after products at FHM 2022 were pastries and baked products, gelato, coffee and tea beverages, and other unique F&B offerings, which saw great demand from visiting F&B entrepreneurs, chefs and distributors looking for the latest market innovations. A special Pastry Innovation Lab on the show floor provided continuous live demonstrations in the preparation of innovative and unique pastries to further inspire visitors and provide free food samples throughout the week.

Meanwhile, there was also great interest in exhibitors that showcased innovative food preparation, sustainable packaging solutions and hi-tech hospitality service applications, as F&B manufacturers and kitchen operators increasingly recognise the benefits of adopting automation, smart technology and robotics in their practices.

Unsurprisingly, hygiene supplies and cleaning equipment were also in high demand during the week, with F&B and hospitality service operators, lodging business owners and cleaning service providers sourcing for products and tools that could increase the health and safety of their guests and employees in the post-pandemic new normal.

FHM 2022 also acknowledged the growing worldwide shift towards healthier food consumption with the introduction of a plant-based food segment during this year's event. Based on the positive response received and the rising consumer demand for organic and meatless food options, FHM will continue to grow upon this segment in the coming years.

Visitors and exhibitors that missed out on FHM 2022 need not fret. Informa Markets Malaysia have already confirmed that the next edition of the iconic trade show will take place once again at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre from 19 – 22 Sep 2023. Space booking for next year's event is already open and interested parties may contact info@foodandhotel.com to enquire about participation.

For more information about the event and to read testimonials from participating exhibitors and visitors that attended FHM 2022, please visit www.foodandhotel.com.

About Food & Hotel Malaysia

For the past decade, Food & Hotel Malaysia (FHM) has established itself as a strong marketplace for the food and hospitality industry players to source for new business opportunities. The show is always packed with thousands of product displays, conference programmes, cooking demonstrations and many other exciting activities. FHM is organised by Informa Markets which is a part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B event organiser in the world. For more information, please visit www.foodandhotel.com.