Speciality Food & Drinks Asia 2023 (SFDA), the fifth edition of Southeast Asia’s leading trade show for artisan, gourmet, and fine food and drink, opens at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore. The three-day event, co-located with the second edition of Food2Go, will feature over 240 exhibitors and brands from 16 countries and regions, showcasing innovative speciality food and beverage products, food-service and delivery solutions, and sustainable packaging.

NTUC and the Singapore Coffee Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to improve workplaces for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the coffee industry. The partnership will focus on worker training, leadership and business development programs, and employee recruitment and retention through the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i). Singapore’s unique food industry, with a total sales value of S$1 billion in July 2023, is also thriving. The Singapore Food and Beverage Development Authority (SFDA) provides an ideal platform for industry players to gather, explore new product offerings, and share solutions to industry challenges.

Christopher McCuin, Managing Director of Montgomery Asia, said: “Singapore’s F&B industry is one of the most diverse and vibrant in the world. Montgomery Asia is proud to launch the fifth edition of SFDA and the second editions of Food2Go and Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia, and bring the industry together to embark on a gastronomic journey that celebrates world-class innovations and flavours here in Singapore. Our platform has grown to become the industry’s go-to destination to convene and explore opportunities for growth and innovation. We’re excited to have many new exhibitors and brands come on board, and are thankful for the unwavering support of our many partners and supporters.”

 

Stellar list of exhibitors and brands

The Singapore Food and Beverage Association (SFDA) 2023 will feature a diverse range of exhibitors and brands from 16 countries, including Belgium, China, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. The event will showcase the latest F&B products and services from brands like LEI food&drinks, Isle Grocer & Co, Wake the Crew, Choya Umeshu South East Asia, Noomoo, VektroPack, Ecospec NovelTech, Sanz Pte Ltd, and Smart Minds Holdings Limited. Limwood Group Pte Ltd, Co-Group Chief Executive Officer, is excited to participate in the event, highlighting the growing fine food industry and the unique opportunity to connect with buyers, specifiers, and industry thought leaders.

 

Exciting fringe events

SFDA is hosting a series of panel discussions, live cooking demonstrations, and food-tasting sessions to provide attendees and exhibitors with a platform to exchange knowledge and explore recent advancements. Panel discussions will feature industry leaders from Deliveroo, the Association of Catering Professionals Singapore, APAC Society for Cellular Agriculture, and A*STAR discussing topics like food delivery partnerships, dining reservations ethics, speciality food retail, and food security. The Fine Food Live Stage will feature new product showcases and culinary demonstrations by renowned chefs like MasterChef Singapore Season 4 contestant Mandy Kee, Chef David Sim, and Simran Savlani. The Tap Room will also offer the latest refreshing brews.

Spectacular line-up of competitions

Taking place at SFDA is the finals of the first-ever Big Idea Food Competition (BIFC) hosted by Big Idea Ventures (BIV) – the most prolific FoodTech investor globally – which will identify the best innovations in alternative protein. This competition aims to cultivate novel entrepreneurial ecosystems, identify exceptional talent, and invest in the next generation of food entrepreneurs throughout Asia. The winners of this competition will walk away with a grand prize of a US$200,000 investment package and automatic enrollment into Big Idea Ventures’ esteemed Cohort #8 accelerator program.

The first-ever ASEAN Butchery Competition, jointly organised by Montgomery Asia and the Meat Traders Association Singapore (MTA), will bring together meat experts from across the region to showcase their craftsmanship in meat carving and presentation. The winner will clinch the title of ASEAN’s finest butcher and a grand prize of S$5,000. 

At the return of the Singapore National Coffee Championship, hosted by the Singapore Coffee Association and Speciality Coffee & Tea Asia (SCTA), Singapore’s most skilled baristas will compete in four categories – the Singapore National Latte Art Championship, Singapore Cup Tasters Championship, Singapore National Barista Championship, and the Singapore National Brewers Cup. Winners in these contests will represent Singapore at international coffee competitions.

 

Victor Mah, President of the Singapore Coffee Association, said “We’re thrilled to be back here at SFDA and work with Montgomery Asia to showcase the region’s coffee-brewing excellence at the highly anticipated SNCC within the SCTA. SCA’s mission has consistently revolved around elevating our coffee industry, and we’re grateful to have a dedicated platform that allows us to nurture and strengthen our passion. I wish all SNCC participants the best!”

 

Partnership with The Food Bank Singapore

In line with Montgomery Group’s environmental sustainability policy, SFDA and The Food Bank Singapore – Singapore’s first food bank – have once again a special partnership in place to reduce food waste. On the last day of SFDA, exhibitors will be able to donate their excess food, which will be redistributed to member beneficiaries. 

 

Backed by industry-leading partners and sponsors

Supporting this year’s edition of SFDA and Food2Go 2023 are a prestigious line-up of partners and sponsors. 

The Meat Traders’ Association Singapore (MTA), Singapore Coffee Association (SCA) and Singapore Food Manufacturers’ Association (SFMA) are Strategic Partners of SFDA, and the Singapore Manufacturing Federation (SMF) is the Strategic Partner of Food2Go. Supporting Partners include the Singapore Agro-Food Enterprises Federation (SAFEF), ASEAN Coffee Federation (ACF) along with its 10 country representatives, Asia-Pacific Society for Cellular Agriculture (APAC-SCA), Club Managers’ Association of Singapore (CMAS), Association of Catering Professionals of Singapore (ACAPS), Hospitality Purchasing Association Singapore (HPAS), Singapore Retailers Association (SRA), the Food Bank Singapore (FBSG), and many others.

 

For visitor registration, click here.
For the latest updates and announcements, visit www.sfdasia.com.