Global food and drink event comes to SA

IFE Africa, jointly organised by Fresh RM and Montgomery Africa will bring together leading food and drink brands and numerous local producers, to meet retail and foodservice buyers, importers, distributors and wholesalers from across the continent.

The trade event is already one of the largest and most prestigious global food and drink trade events and the inaugural African show aims to capitalise on the continued strong growth in consumer demand in South Africa and numerous other countries across the African continent.

The event comes in response to repeated requests for an IFE-style event to be established in South Africa from numerous government food and drink promotional agencies and exporters around the world.

"There is huge industry knowledge of the African market across the Montgomery group. This combined with our in-depth research and regular contact with the global food & drink industry gives us a clear indication that the time is right to launch into this market.

"The African continent is on the crest of a wave of growth in food and drink and we feel well positioned to deliver the event that the market is demanding," comments Christopher McCuin, Fresh RM's business development director.

Following UK success

IFE Africa will see many of the exciting innovations and attractions that currently take centre stage at IFE in the UK, such as The Hub, New Products Live and the hugely successful 'Meet the Buyer' initiative. The last edition of IFE in the UK took place at ExCeL in March 2011 and attracted over 28 000 industry attendees (ABC audited) from over 90 countries to meet 1200 international exhibitors.

Montgomery also own and run Hostex, the largest and longest running foodservice trade fair in Africa, which gives IFE Africa a great base to build an international food & drink trade event in the African market.