‘How Food and Beverage trade show has shapened Nigeria’s business environment’

Organiser of Food and Beverage trade show, BtoB Events Limited, has described the annual exhibition as a platform which has continued to impact positively on the trading environment of the host nation, Nigeria.

The 2022 event which began on Tuesday at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos is expected to end today.

Managing Director of BtoB Events, Jamie Hill, speaking during the opening day of the show, noted that the significant impact of the exhibition on the Nigerian business environment has not only added value but given stakeholders the opportunity to expand their businesses in terms of reach and networking.

He said the trade show has record entries of participants from across the world in this year’s edition.

“We have about 200 exhibitors, both local and foreign participating in the trade show this year. This is a huge improvement on the entries compared to the previous editions.

“We are having more local exhibitors this year. Our plan is that these local SMEs will have the opportunity and a veritable platform like the F&B trade show to rub minds with the big players in the industry. We all know that these big players are the foreign companies which are more exposed in the industry.

“Our business is to promote trade and we know that Nigeria has a lot to offer the rest of the world. So we bring this trade show for players to access opportunities and partnerships.”

Hill assured that more entries should be expected when the Food & Beverage West Africa Show will be held in 2023.

Chairman of Food and Beverage Marketers, Onitsha, Anambra State, Chief Victor Nwawuzie, south-east Nigeria, who declared the exhibition opened, was so excited with the high numbers of participants, adding that the Food & Beverage West Africa Show has added value to their businesses since inception.

“The trade show has brought these foreign companies to our doorstep. By this, we have been able to cut some travelling expenses. These manufacturers are here with us. We thank the organisers for creating this platform where the manufacturers from across the world can converge in Nigeria to meet the local traders for business discussions. Nigeria is a big market waiting to be explored,” he said.

Samuel Ato Aggrey, who led a delegation of the Food and Beverage Association of Ghana (FABAG) to the show said the Ghanaians are very proud of what is happening in Nigeria and will be happy to make their presence felt in the 2023 edition.

According to Aggrey, Ghana and Nigeria share a similar business environment, adding that having a trade show on food and beverage that covers the West African sub-region in Nigeria is a big opportunity to expose products within the region to the world and also attract business opportunities to local traders.

“The Russia-Ukraine war has thought us a lesson that Africa should do more to produce what its people will eat. Ghana products will be on display here at the 2023 trade show. We are so proud of what our Nigerian counterparts are doing with this Food & Beverage West Africa Show, and to the organisers, we say a big thank you for bringing the world to us,” said Aggrey, the General Secretary of FABAG.

There was a media tour of the exhibition ground where the invited journalists interacted with some of the exhibitors.

At Just Food stand, Tunde Ogunrinde, the CEO said that his ice cream company has become a big player in the F&B sub-sector, adding that Just Food’s over 30 years of operation in Nigeria is hugely felt in the Nigerian business environment.

Foreign companies such as Sharmeen Foods (PVT) Ltd., Nassco Foods, Valmar Global from Italy and Daffy all shared a good experience of participating in the Food & Beverage West Africa Show this year. They confessed their more than the willingness to do business with Nigerians, noting the favourable business environment and the hospitality of the Nigerian people.