PUNTOITALY N°2 - July - December 2012

equipment. In the past ten years, many Italian compa- nies have been able to help a lot of successful Chinese people to open new companies, gelato shops, cafes, chain stores, and introduce to the Chinese customers the taste of real artisanal homemade gelato from Italy. This fur- ther highlights the huge growing demand in this sector. Specialist sectors of the exhibition include a hall for Tea & Coffee, with suppliers of equipment, coffee beans, flavours, and specialty teas. Alongside tea and coffee exhibitors will run a barista competition, coffee cupping seminars and a coffee roasting tutorial and competition. For the first time a dedicated hall has been reserved for wine and spirit companies offering the convenience to buyers of meeting the majority of specialist suppliers in one hall of the exhibition. As a further attraction, this spe- cialist wine and spirits hall will include a series of skilled events, such as a major conference entitled “The wine revolution in China”, together with the China Sommeliers Wine & Spirits Chal- lenge, the China Wine Service Awards and Sommeliers lounge and the Magnum Dinner. MEETING CHINESE MARKET Since its inception in 1994, FHC China has established itself as China’s largest, longest running and most inter- national food and hospitality exhibition. Attracting dis- tributors and buyers from all over China, it is a unique annual showcase for the world’s food and beverage ex- porters. FHC China 2012, will break all records this year when the show returns to Shanghai for the 16th edition, from 14 to 16 November 2012, at the Shanghai New In- ternational Expo Centre. The exhibition will be offering more food and beverage products from more compa- nies and countries than has ever been witnessed before. Currently over 1,100 companies have registered to par- ticipate from 70 countries and regions. The Gelato area, a growing sector of the China market, will include top suppliers of ingredients, product and FHC CHINA 181 FOOD-AND-DRINK • PASTRY • GELATO