Debra Li

debra_lidan@163.com

FROM strawberry-flavored French chocolate to authentic fresh-serve Italian Gelato, from a self-driving vehicle that serves coffee on demand, to a machine that can print 1080p high-resolution images onto your latte, the second edition of Sigep China offers plenty of pleasant surprises for the palate as well as for the eyes.

Foodies need to be quick, however, because the three-day B2B show held at Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District will conclude later Friday. Co-presented by Italian Exhibition Group (IEG) and Koelnmesse, Sigep China provides a complete overview of ice cream, bakery, and coffee trends, including ingredients, equipment, packaging, and services.

Held alongside Sigep is Anuga Select China, a high-end food and beverage expo serving import and export trading firms from Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Building on the success of the first edition, this year’s fair presents over 500 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions on a floor space of over 40,000 square meters, with a booth dedicated to the prize products from the European Union.

Michiel Kruse, managing director of Koelnmesse (Beijing), said he wished the fair in Shenzhen will be a new starting point for industry insiders to build trading partnerships and explore the southern Chinese market.

Dazzling high-tech

Curious heads were huddled at the booth of Melitta, a time-honored coffee service brand from Germany, as the Evebot printed out the sentence “have a nice day” alongside a heart emoji on the foam of a cup of cappuccino. “I once had a photo of myself printed out on a cup of latte,” chuckled Zhu Gang, senior official of Melitta’s Shanghai branch.

While the latte art printer (the product of another firm) attracted a lot of attention, Zhu said his company, a manufacturer of coffee machines and beans, has never stopped innovation in every aspect of coffee making. “IoT (the internet of things), a mature technology today, is the focus of Melitta,” he said, adding that all their coffee machines can access the Melitta Insights platform. Also coming with a mobile app, the platform allows clients to monitor the use and working condition of each machine, upload menus, and upgrade software.

Another star product at the fair was Rhea’s “Barista on Demand,” a self-driving coffee shop whose prototype the Italian company first presented at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) in Shanghai last November. Using a mobile app, the client can call the vehicle to their designated venue, and then operate on the LED interface, which comes in English, Chinese, and Italian, to order their favorite cup of joe. “With the help of artificial intelligence, we transform coffee drinking from a ‘go-to-shop’ to a ‘shop-to-customer’ experience,” said a company statement.

Healthier and safer

More than one exhibitor at the fair mentioned their observation of a trend leaning toward healthier and safer food in the industry.

Qiu Lin, communications manager with Sinodis, a branch of the leading cheese and dairy firm Savencia, said she noticed the apparent trend of focusing more on health in people’s choice of desserts. “Our corporate clients as well as mass-market consumers nowadays will scrutinize the ingredients listed on food packages. They are looking for low-sugar and low-fat products,” she said. In line with that trend, her company especially marketed the Adamance brand of fruit puree, which is widely used in desserts. “These are 100% made of fruits, with no sugar or other additives. The flavors of sour cherry and passion fruit are especially welcome among female clients, as you can taste a strong fruit aroma yet not so sweet.”

Michael Sacchi, general manager of Valrhona China, agreed with Qiu. Valrhona sells choice French chocolates to the Chinese market. “My takeaway regarding market trends is that people are looking for something less sweet. … They love chocolates and pastry, with nuts and fruits too, but definitely the recipe needs to be less sweet.”

Ding Saibai, general manager of Beijing-based Dingdingli Trade Co., Ltd., said his company, which has expanded with the growth of the bakery industry in China, has especially focused on food safety and quality. “We have a team in Europe responsible for picking the products we import into China, who will visit the factories, and investigate their channels of procuring raw materials,” he said. “China has also improved the management of imported food in recent years, and introduced a set of industry criteria to guarantee safety.”

A blue ocean market

Contrasting the breakneck competitions seen in many traditional industries in China, the coffee and desserts industry seems to be brimming with opportunities, as many exhibitors expressed their optimism.

GLead, a Guangzhou-based trade company, first dabbled in the Gelato business two years ago, offering one-stop solutions to restaurants and convenience shops. Having set up a shop in Sea World in Nanshan District, the company’s head, Wang Huanwu, revealed that he’s looking to open a new flagship store in Shenzhen and another in Guangzhou Tower on his home turf. Melitta’s Zhu also elaborated on the boom of the market for coffee. “We first entered China more than a decade ago with luxury hotels, who purchased our machines for their diners,” he said. “Now we also sell coffee machines to urban households and food chains like KFC. One of our machines in an IKEA store in Xi’an sold over 900 cups of coffee a day.”

Ding, who has studied pastry and food industry management in Italy, shares his vision of the bakery industry. “Today, we have large-scale manufacturers providing toasts and other staples to mass-market consumers; we also have boutique bakery studios opened by chefs and returning overseas Chinese students. The industry has been continuously upgrading itself to cater to evolving market demands.”

The three-day expo also includes colorful events such as forums, the Bread in the City competition, CTI Latte Art Duel, and The Pastry Queen competition.