Claudelands Conference and Exhibition Centre will be filled with glorious aromas and mouth-watering sights this week when the annual Foodstuffs New Zealand trade-only expo returns to Hamilton, 31 July – 1 August.

Foodstuffs held its grocery expo at Claudelands last year, but this time the focus is on fresh food. The exhibition halls and main conference space at Claudelands will be filled with a variety of different suppliers, ranging from meat and seafood suppliers to flora and garden producers, deli and bakery manufacturers and liquor companies.

The Foodstuffs expo at Claudelands will be an impressive event in every metric.  As many as 1,500 supermarket owners, grocery managers and category department staff will meet with 180 suppliers over the two days. They will be supplemented by Foodstuffs’ head office staff who will join with exhibitors for a 700-strong dinner, prepared by Hamilton’s Montana Catering, in Claudelands Arena on the Wednesday night.

On-stand activity includes a demo kitchen running over the two days featuring celebrity chef Ray McVinnie, judge of TV ONE’s MasterChef, who will work with fruit and vegetables on the Turners and Growers stand.

The expo is also the place to be for coffee lovers, as six regional finalists will fight it out in the ‘Foodstuffs New Zealand Barista of the Year’ completion. Other highlights include cheese education sessions and samplings that will team craft beers with tasty food matches.

Foodstuff New Zealand, Group Communications Manager, Katherine Klouwens is pleased with the venue and its location.  “Last year’s Foodstuffs New Zealand expo at Claudelands in 2012 was a huge success and the venue’s superb facilities, flexibility and convenient location made it an obvious choice again this year,” Klouwens said.

Hamilton City’s Event Facilities Director of Business Development, Murray Jeffrey says it is pleasing to welcome back Foodstuffs New Zealand for the second time in two years. 

“This major trade-only expo is an excellent example of the diverse range of business that Claudelands is attracting”, says Jeffrey.

“It is the largest expo of its kind in the country, attracting a large audience, and is a coup for the region to host it in Hamilton. Having so many exhibitors and delegates from out of town provides welcome business for local companies, including accommodation providers, restaurants and bars,” adds Jeffrey.