World of free information at Hostex 2015

On Monday 16 March, Host-ED presents an opening and keynote address by the dti on its efforts to support the industry, what it has in store for 2015 and how these operations will benefit the South African food and hospitality industry. Other presentations on the Monday include 'South African purchasing trends: factors influencing SA consumer demand'; 'The rise and success of trendy pop-up markets'; '2015 trends in food & drink' by Chef Arnold Tanzer; 'Sustainable tourism for SMMEs' by Fair Trade Tourism (FTT) and the Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP); and 'Technology for the Future' by Samsung.

The lineup on Tuesday 17 March starts with 'The magic of food on the move: a fabulous pop-up street food experience' taking a look at the phenomenon of food trucks. This is followed by 'The SA foodie revolution: purity at its best'; Thereafter, the line-up includes presentations on 'Social media with a smile'; 'Funding for food and hospitality SMEs: accessing working capital that is flexible and convenient' by Saska Nel of Retail Capital; and 'Distinguishing SA's top 10 restaurants'.

Wednesday 18 March, the final day of the expo, begins with a presentation on 'The South African hospitality industry outlook for 2014 to 2018'; followed by presentations on 'The Real Meal Revolution: the Banting phenomenon'; 'Raising the bar menu - mixology trends'; 'Catering for kids: the Holiday Inn case study'; 'Local is lekker: stimulating domestic travel'; and a SASSI update on 'Trends surrounding consumer awareness and sustainability'.

For more information, go to www.hostex.co.za