Page 38 - foodservice Magazine August 2018

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FINE FOOD AUSTRALIA
Above left: Minnie Constan, event director of Fine Food Australia.
Above right: A visitor inspecting an exhibitor’s stand at last year’s Fine Food Australia.
What is Fine Food Australia? Fine Food Australia is the most important destination for any business in
the foodservice industry looking to grow, find new ideas and refine skills. Regularly attracting an audienceinexcessof26,000, Fine Food Australia celebrates the country’s incredibly diverse and dynamic food industry, showcasing the latest in food and specialty tastes, healthy living, bakery equipment and ingredients, packaging, catering and hospitality equipment, international food, drinks, fit-out and design, and retail technology.
What do you enjoy most about being the show’s event director?
I love that Fine Food continues to evolve and change. Every year the event draws on international and home-grown exhibitors, trends and innovations, to become the one-stop destination to help anyone and everyone in the industry keep their finger on the industry’s pulse. I love being involved in that, as I truly believe this show is so incredibly important to the industry.
What impact do you hope Fine Food has on the Australian food and beverage industries?
I’d like to think that it is a genuine place of business, where buyers and sellers make real connections which results in business transactions and opportunitiesthatdidn’texist before. I also like to think that Fine Food is responsible for bringing many trends and new products to market for the first time.
What’s new at this year's show?
There are thousands of new products and exhibitors lined up at this year’s show but there are also a couple of new features that we’re all excited about.
A new section to Fine Food Australia is the Fitout and Design zone, showcasing what’s hot – and what’s required – for a venue to operate as efficiently as possible, while looking spot on. Another new section is the Start-up and Trend zone which features businesses less than 12 months old, providing the opportunity to meet the makers behind the newest products that are making serious noise in the food industry.
Also for the first time, international Belcolade master chocolatier Stephane Leroux will be at Fine Food. Demonstrating the essential techniques to pastry and chocolate, the countless World Champion will be hands-on,creatingmasterpieces that are too good to eat – almost.
And on the subject of sweet treats, the Australian selections for The World Trophy of Pastry, Gelato and Chocolate will take place at the show for the first time. Organised by the International Federation of Pastry, Gelato,
and Chocolate (FIPGC), this event is considered to be the most important event in the international pastry industry.
What are some show highlights?
Oh that’s a tough one – I consider every inch of the show floor a highlight. With over 1,000 exhibitors and thousands more products, there is so much to see.
The education sessions we have planned this year are outstanding, with a raft of truly inspirational speakers from across the industry, all designed to leave audience