A showcase of Western Australia’s agriculture, food and beverage industry will bring together dozens of Asian buyers and local producers for the TradeStart Taste WA Premium Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Mission 2023.
The five-day tour across 27-31 March will see approximately 30 premium food and beverage buyers from Asia venture across Perth, the South West and Great Southern where they’ll meet growers and producers of seafood, dairy, meat, horticulture, packaged food and non-alcoholic beverages.
TradeStart Adviser Darren Levy at CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre said: “Through multiple business matching events, we will create new export sales and potential investment opportunities for WA producers as Asian buyers seek to secure supply of clean, green and reliable food sources. This is the largest food and beverage buyer mission to visit WA since before COVID-19.”
The selected buyers are established importers, distributors and category managers from major retailers across China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Buyers are visiting to source produce, with the mission involving meet-up events, product tasting and facility/farm tours, including – but not limited to – the Bunbury Farmers Market and The Dam at Raintree.
“Bringing buyers to Western Australia provides our producers with the best chance of developing personal relationships and winning new export orders. Exporters love it as it’s the lowest cost and highest impact meeting opportunity they can get with new international buyers,” Darren Levy said.
As well as a showcase of WA’s food and beverage bowl, the mission will also demonstrate collaboration between CCIWA’s TradeStart, and industry and government agencies. The mission is jointly funded and organised by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation; Invest & Trade WA; Great Southern Development Commission; and South West Development Commission.
The mission will grow WA’s reputation as a premium tourism destination close to Asia by delivering over 150 nights of accommodation to Perth and regional hotels, plus revenue to suppliers providing services across 18 planned events.
“Travel has opened up again and for many buyers this will be their first trip to Western Australia. While digital communication has helped over the pandemic and more recently tradeshows are returning, nothing beats showcasing the provenance of Western Australia first-hand on home soil,” Darren Levy said.
“Based on the collaboration, success and learnings from our first premium food and beverage buyers’ mission in May 2022, TradeStart now has a template for jointly organising and delivering strong outcomes for WA exporters and tourism operators. This has directly led to agreement to co-fund this second project and perhaps other missions in the future.”
Businesses and buyers ‘speed dating’
The mission will include the Premium Food and Beverage Business Matching Events in Perth, Margaret River and Albany, where buyers will meet with producers and businesses in a ‘speed dating’ style. Buyers will meet up to 100 producers and businesses across the events. Applications are still open for businesses to participate in the Perth, Margret River and Albany events, closing 6pm, Friday 10 March.
Register your interest here:
CCIWA’s International Trade and Investment Centre (ITIC) helps businesses reduce the time, cost and risk of going global. Contact the team for a free consultation on (08) 9365 7620 or via [email protected].
