The 25th edition of Food Hospitality World (FHW) 2015 exhibition kick-started today at the White Orchid Convention Centre in Bengaluru. This three-day exhibition being held from June 11-13, 2015, was inaugurated by Chef Surjan Singh Jolly, director- F&B, J W Marriott Bengaluru; Bakkappa Kote, chairman, Karnataka Wine Board, Government of Karnataka; KN Vasudeva Adiga, honorary president, Bruhat Bangalore Hotels Association; K Syama Raju, president, South India Hotels & Restaurants Association; PK Mohankumar, hospitality consultant and industry expert, and former managing director and CEO, Roots Corporation; Madhukar M Shetty, honorary secretary, Karnataka Pradesh Hotel & Restaurants Association; Tushar Alekar, commercial director, Hannover Milano Fairs India; and Reema Lokesh, editor, Food & Hospitality World.
Speaking at the inauguration, Chef Jolly stated, “It is an honour to be at the FHW 2015 exhibition. This exhibition befits the requirements of the hospitality industry for it provides exposure, a platform to exchange thoughts and ideas, and bring creativity to life. It also provides networking opportunities and enables the sharing and use of best practices.”
Sharing his perspective, Shetty opined, “The food industry in India is facing several challenges and exhibitions like FHW helps to run our industry smoothly. Presently, we need to have more modern technologies to run this industry.” Adding to the same, Adiga stated, “FHW is running successfully for its 25th edition. This exhibition is beneficial to the hospitality industry for it showcases the latest technologies needed by the hospitality industry. It is also encouraging to see that the state and central government are providing support to the Indian hospitality and travel industry. International fast food brands like KFC, Domino’s, etc have taken over our market and we need to promote Indian cuisine and hoteliers should focus on doing so by promoting it across the world.”
Giving a word of advice Mohankumar said, “The hospitality industry is thinking about globalisation. The Indian hospitality industry has reached a certain level of maturity. During the initial stages of my career, we used to import all food ingredients, but times have changed now. At present, the ancillary and the hospitality industry needs to network as they are hardly networking. There needs to be more awareness about international equipments in the Indian market. South India is a powerhouse of the Indian economy and it is time that the hospitality industry recognises this. There is also a huge tourism potential down south and there is a need to improve connectivity among Kochi, Puducherry, Chennai and Bengaluru. The south has a robust hotel presence with the highest number of investments taking place across budget, mid and luxury segments. Big strength is also coming from independent restaurants and people in Bengaluru are dining out five days a week. There is also a huge opportunity in the breakfast segment. Presently, no brand in south India can deliver like the QSRs; for example deliver breakfast at home. We need to develop technology in this area.”
The first day of the exhibition will witness a special honours evening felicitating 15 Hospitality Trailblazers who have made a unique distinction in the south Indian dining space. The second day will have sessions such as the Hospitality Think Tank– GM’s Conclave, where general managers from leading hotel brands from south India will speak about Bengaluru’s potential as a MICE destination. The conclave will be followed by the CeBIT Insight Series, a conference on leveraging the digital platform to enhance customer experiences in the hospitality industry. The Power of Purchase, also to be held on the second day, will focus on the new trends in purchasing, its role and the challenges for hospitality purchasing professionals. The concluding day will witness Hospitality Knowledge Exchange on Green Housekeeping, and for the first time Professional Housekeepers Association will be participating in this session. The Baking Contest will be a first time inclusion at this exhibition. It will have live demos by the Institute of Baking & Cake Art (IBCA) that will be organised and overseen by one of India’s top baker, trainer, cake decorator, consultant and food stylist, Chef Manish Gaur who is also the director of IBCA. This baking contest will provide an opportunity to over 5000 professionals from the hospitality and F&B industry to showcase their baking skills and talents. IBCA will provide live demonstrations on baking various creative dishes throughout the three days of the show.
The exhibition, spread over a floor space of 6,000 sq mtrs, will witness a total number of 150 exhibitors. Some of the key clients will include: Amrit Group, Bunge India, Amira Basmati Rice, ID Fresh Foods, Forstar Foods, VKL Spices, Williams, and many more. This year’s exhibition will witness exhibitors coming from different segments of the food and hospitality industry like F&B, interiors, kitchen equipment, housekeeping, bakery and others, and will aim at providing solutions to various industry-related problems.
Associations that have signed up for the exhibition include South India Hotels & Restaurant Association (SIHRA); Bangalore Hotels Association (BHA); HOTREMAI; Hospitality, Healthcare, Aviation, Travel and Tourism (HATT); Hospitality Purchasing Managers’ Forum (HPMF); Kerala Hotels & Restaurants Association (KHRA); Karnataka Pradesh Hotels & Restaurants Association (KPHRA); Telangana Hotels Association (TGHA); Kerala Bakery Association (BAKE); Hotel Association of Pondicherry (HAP); and Munnar Hotels & Resorts Association (MHRA).
The FHW exhibition is organised by Global Fairs & Media– a joint venture between Hannover Milano Fairs India and The Indian Express Group.