A virtual reality element will be included at this year’s Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) show, the largest food and beverage trade show on the continent, allowing exhibitors and visitors to participate virtually, in real time, from anywhere in the world.

AB7 is to be enhanced virtually from the AfriTradeCentre. This is Africa’s first online conference and exhibition and unified communications platform to be launched from AB7, states AB7 MD: exhibition management services John Thomson.
The platform aims to promote participation in AB7 and will feature additional AB7 virtual exhibitors and facilitate interactive business engagement between physical and virtual exhibitors and visitors, he adds.
The virtual platform is an affordable alternative to exhibiting physically. It targets new AB7 international exhibitors and seeks a foothold into rapidly developing African food industry markets, Thomson explains.

Participants will be able to interactively engage one another and communicate through chat, voice and video call using the service. Visitors to the virtual exhibition will also be able to collect exhibitor collateral using an electronic briefcase and exchange business cards with other online participants.

The eleventh edition of AB7 will take place from June 30 to July 2 at the Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand, Gauteng, and will host a workshop with the Consumer Goods Council titled ‘Taking retail into Africa’ – a subject of importance to the council’s 15 000 members, owing to the continent’s rapid growth, states Thomson.

The world has started to take note of Africa as a continent of business opportunities, he states. Africa was home to six out of ten of the world’s fastest-growing economies in 2010 and is projected to claim a seventh slot in the top ten in 2015, outpacing the entire Asian region.

“AB7’s growth is a direct reflection of this raised level of international interest.”

With 80% exhibitor space booked at the end of January, AB7 aims to exceed 2012’s 304 exhibitors and expects more African countries to participate, states Thomson, adding that 99% of visitors interviewed at AB7 2012 stated that they would revisit in 2013 and 97% stated they would recommend the show to colleagues.

AB7 2013 will highlight the multifunctionality of products, as consumers want greater bene- fits and healthier foods and fast, easy-to-cook prepared meals with high nutritional values, he notes.

“We expect to see more organic and natural food selections and a trend towards healthy eating in the workplace, including various kiosk and vending machine innovations at AB7 2013,” says Thomson.
Other challenges to be dealt with are increased competition and cost pressures, as well as and ecofriendly packaging and production methods. Therefore, he notes that providing food and beverage solutions to Africa’s rapidly growing category of middle class consumers will be one of the main challenges tackled at the event.

“The show has earned a worldwide reputation as a platform that provides suppliers with a channel into the continent’s food and beverage industry,” Thomson states, highlighting that the show offers a veritable “feast of choices” as this year’s visitors can expect to see more than 3 000 product items in 403 product categories.

AB7 encompasses seven distinct sectors that span the entire food and beverage value chain, namely – AgriFood, the Pan Africa Retail Trade Exhibition, FoodTech Africa, DrinkTech Africa, InterBake Africa, Retail Solutions Africa and FoodBiz Africa.

AgriFood is an expo for growers, producers and manufacturers; the Pan Africa Retail Trade Exhibition involves merchandising; FoodTech Africa covers ingredients and flavourings, manufacturing, production, processing and packaging technologies; and DrinkTech Africa covers the entire beverage industry from manufacturing equipment to bottling, packaging and the finished products.

InterBake Africa covers every aspect of the baking sector, from ingredients to equipment; Retail Solutions Africa encompasses retail information technology, security and cash handling equipment, shopfitting, refrigeration, store layout, merchandising, display equipment, point-of-sale systems, back-office software and lighting systems; and FoodBiz Africa covers the food service and hospitality sectors.

“AB7 affords food and beverage manufacturers access to new technologies and innovations as well as the opportunity to keep up with international trends and innovations,” states Thomson.

For example, the show has pro- vided many fruit juice manufacturers in Uganda with access to suitable equipment and has allowed supermarkets in Ghana and Nigeria to stock up with South African-manufactured food and beverage goods. It has also provided an Angolan soft drinks company access to other markets and assisted in introducing Ethiopian honey into Johannesburg health shops, he adds.

Every AB7 event is unique in that it showcases different participants from different parts of the world, as well as new products and technologies. The show’s shared location with the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (Saitex) is also advantageous, states Thomson.

Saitex, which is a nonfood retail event, is one of the biggest business opportunities showcased in Africa. AB7 and Saitex together boast 894 exhibitors and attract multiproduct importers, distributors, wholesalers and retailers. “The sheer volume of exhibitors makes a visit from East, West or Central Africa cost effective and worthwhile.

“AB7 has grown exponentially on a yearly basis, driven mainly by two factors: South African manufacturers wanting to penetrate markets in North Africa and international companies seeking an entry point into Africa,” Thomson concludes.