The 24th HOTELEX Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Expo Achieves Great Success in 2015

Shanghai, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The 24th Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Expo (HOTELEX Shanghai), jointly hosted by the China Tourism Hotels Association and Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo, and guided by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Tourism Development, successfully concluded on April 2, 2015, after four days at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Having matured over 24 years, this edition of the expo demonstrated remarkable growth and progress in all aspects. During the event, exhibitors and professional visitors from 130 countries and regions were invited, offering a comprehensive global resource hub that had a significant impact across the hospitality and F&B industry.

As the flagship and core component of HDD, the "Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Expo" includesfifteenthemed exhibition zones, namely: food & beverage supply equipment, tableware, hotel linens & textiles, guestroom amenities & supplies, hotel IT & security equipment, fitness & leisure entertainment, food & beverages, coffee & tea, baking & ice cream, wine & spirits, hotel design, hotel architecture, hotel engineering, hotel furniture, and hotel cleaning.It provides a one-stop procurement platform for hospitality and F&B professionals.

Registration area at the 24th Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Expo

As a benchmark for hospitality, F&B, and premium food & beverage expos, the 2015 HOTELEX Shanghai set new records in both exhibition scale and buyer attendance. A total of96508professional visitors attended the show, marking an increase of18.3% compared to the 2014 event. The total exhibition area reached25square meters, up 11% from 2014, utilizing all 17 indoor halls and 4 outdoor venues at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Pudongas well as parts of the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition & Convention Center. According to incomplete statistics, the expo gathered exhibitors from over 50 countries and regions including Italy, Spain, the United States, Germany, Japan, and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, along with more than2500leading brands and representative companies, allowing professional visitors to gain an in-depth understanding of top-tier brands' strengths and directions throughout the various halls. Attendees came from industries such as hospitality, F&B, coffee & baking, bars & clubs, and retail, with professional buyers distributed across 130 countries and regions. The range of procurement covered products related to the entire industry chain including hotels, F&B, and food processing. At the same time, competitions and forums were fully booked, and various exhibition salons showcased the industry’s excellence, engaging audiences both on and off stage.

Big News: Four Major World Coffee Competitions to Take Place2016 HOTELEX

On the afternoon of March 31 (the second day of the expo) at 3:00 PM, a highly anticipated press conference was held at the CBC competition venue in Hall N5. The World Coffee Events (WCE), the organizing body of global coffee competitions, announced the authorization of the Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supplies Expo to host the World Latte Art Championship, World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, World Coffee Roasting Championship, and World Cup Tasters Championship. Known as the "Olympics of Coffee," these competitions will be held concurrently at HOTELEX from March 29 to April 1, 2016, bringing together champion baristas from nearly 60 member countries for the ultimate showdown in Shanghai. Cindy Ludviksen, General Manager of World Coffee Events, stated, “We believe these coffee competitions will be a great success with the support of local specialty coffee communities.” Mr. Wang Mingliang, Founder and Executive Director of Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo, said, “We are honored to be the host of the finals of these four international coffee competitions, and we will do our utmost to provide the best stage for the competitors.”

Hu Ying, Champion of the 13th World Barista Championship China Division

HOTELEX has once again elevated domestic coffee competitions and the development of the coffee industry to a newer and more international level.Guests and media representatives alike witnessed this significant event in China’s coffee community.

Gathering Elite Talent,"Mile Night" Shines Brilliantly Once More

As the annual highlight awards ceremony in the hospitality and F&B industry, the 2015 HOTELEX Mile Night unveiled its mystery once again on the evening of March 30 at Kerry Hotel Pudong. The gala dinner welcomed nearly a thousand distinguished guests from home and abroad, including industry association representatives, senior management and owners of high-end hotels, internationally renowned hotel designers, and key figures in the F&B sector.

In addition to hosting a grand banquet for attendees, the "Mile Night" also created a perfect industry experience through a multi-sensory extravaganza of light, sound, and visuals. At the same time, to express gratitude to the exhibitors who have supported HOTELEX over the years, special award and lucky draw segments were held at the event. As the most anticipated part of the evening, the annual awards presented not only represent the highest honors in the industry but also serve as a platform to promote innovation, development, and exchange among hotel suppliers. Awards presented on-site included “Top Ten Best Hotel Supplies Suppliers,” “Top Ten Best Hotel Supplies Brands,” “Top Ten Best Hotel F&B Brands,” “Top Ten Best Hotel F&B Suppliers,” “Top Ten Best Marketing Awards,” “Top Ten Best Hotel Engineering & Design Suppliers,” “Top Ten Best Hotel Design Masters,” “Best Sponsor Award,” “Best Boutique Hotel Brand Award,” “Best Partner Award,” “Best Innovation Award,” and “Mile Annual Gold Award.”

"Kings" Battle: High-Level Competitions Showcase Industry Excellence

HOTELEX features numerous top-tier professional competitions and premium exhibitions, not only bringing together the most authoritative industry resources across sectors but also highlighting the most eye-catching highlights at the expo. At the competition venues, thrilling matchups by industry masters captivated audiences, with camera flashes and cheers echoing throughout, fully showcasing the charm of the hospitality and F&B industry.

Among them, coffee competitions are particularly renowned for their "world-class" status, drawing large crowds and constant shutter clicks, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. These include: the China Division of the World Barista Championship, the China Division of the World Latte Art Championship, the China Division of the World Cup Tasters Championship, and the China Division of the World Brewers Cup. Authorized by WCE, the champions of these four China Division competitions will represent China in the world finals. As the only professional, systematically operated, and internationally certified coffee-making competitions in China, they are honored as the "Coffee Olympics." Additionally, WCE’s “All-Star” lineup made a dazzling appearance in Hall NT1 -- with WCE ALL STAR, where coffee industry “superstars” showcased their skills and put on interactive performances at HOTELEX, unleashing the limitless charm of aromatic coffee.

Judges and audience interaction at the 2015 China International Bartenders Cup

In addition, contestants in other events showcased their full range of skills, demonstrating their professional prowess one after another on the grand stage of HOTELEX. A multitude of hotel and catering industry competitions and exhibitions emerged in rapid succession, including the 2015 Shanghai International Pizza Masters, the 2015 Parma World Pizza Masters – China Qualifiers, the 3rd Shanghai International Artisan Gelato Masters, the 2015 “I Am the Chef” Shanghai Baking Masters, the 5th “Jinhong Cup” Star-Rated Hotel Buffet Display Competition, the 2015 Hotelex “Rising Stars” Chefs Competition, the 2nd Shanghai International Trendy Beverages Creative Production Competition, the 2015 China International Bartenders Cup, the 2015 Hotelex Chefs Show & Fine Wine Tasting, the 2015 Hotel Uniform Show, an Italian artisan gelato performance show, a tabletop supplies design exhibition, the 2nd “Wanrun Cup” Hotel Housekeeping Skills Championship & Best Linens Selection, and the Hotel Plus Hotel Showroom Experience. These events aimed to foster diversified development in the food and beverage industry through creative and professional skill exchanges. It was truly a gathering of industry elites, delivering a series of captivating competitions for guests and audiences alike.

Brainstorming, forum sessions, high-end meetings, and bursts of creativity

Professional forums that focus on industry authorities, listen to the voices of industry leaders, and feature elite interactions and discussions have always been the high-value highlight of HOTELEX. At the exhibition site, elites engaged in peak-level interactions, discussing hotel and catering topics from all angles, sharing more industry trends and trade resources with every attending guest. Industry meetings held in the Forum Zone at Hall W4 included: the Future of the 21st Century Foodservice Industry Forum, the 2015 International Hotel Procurement Matching Conference (IPA), the Hotel Sustainability Forum, and the “Living with Design” & Table Art Design Themed Forum. By inviting seasoned industry experts for business discussions, these forums covered the most forward-looking industry dynamics and market demands, significantly bridging the supply-demand relationship between suppliers and buyers through cooperation and exchange, thereby enhancing the positive development of the overall food and beverage industry.

The scene at the 2015 International Hotel Procurement Matching Conference

Among them, the IPA invited international hotel management groups, hotel management teams of hotels under construction, chain hotel management groups, senior procurement executives from large supermarket chains, and others to discuss new trends, opportunities, and markets in hotel procurement for 2015. Attendees included Li Nini, Deputy General Manager of Beijing Xinhualian Real Estate; Li Ning, Procurement Head of Shenzhen Overseas Chinese Town; Ma Lidan, Executive President of Yuanzhou Hotel Group; Xu Yawei, Procurement General Manager of Evergrande Hotel Group; Zou Min, Owner Representative of Waldorf Astoria Chengdu; Dai Peiren, Owner General Manager of Crowne Plaza Shanghai Pudong; as well as procurement directors from major economy hotel chains such as Home Inns, Huazhu Hotels, Hampton by Hilton, CityInn, and Shangkeyou, and supermarket procurement heads from platforms like YHD.com, RT-Mart, Nonggongshang, and Suning.

The Future of the 21st Century Foodservice Industry Forum focused on the most challenging issues in the management and operation of the catering industry. This year’s forum invited designers from Ricca Design Global Group to interpret future trends in commercial kitchens. As a third-party institution, NPD Group also provided one-stop commercial kitchen solutions for hotels and catering enterprises from the perspective of market demand, while inviting many industry experts to discuss and share experiences and case studies.

Focusing on sustainability has always been one of HOTELEX’s long-term development goals. The Hotel Sustainability Forum was co-organized by Shanghai UBM Sinoexpo and KEDGE Business School Marseille, France, hosted by the Supply Chain Innovation and Promotion Center of SJTU-KEDGE Business School, and co-sponsored by SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services Co., Ltd. The forum addressed topics such as the sustainable development of the hotel industry and its supply chain strategy and practical solutions; creating a modern path to sustainable hotel development that balances economic and social benefits; and the practical significance and challenges of sustainability strategies for hotel supply chain management. Together, they explored the efforts and implementations the hotel industry should undertake for sustainable development.

Four exhibitions working in synergy,HOTELEX branding reaches unlimited new heights

The brilliance of spring 2015 has become a memory, and after the excitement comes a time for even greater strides forward. As a global one-stop procurement platform for hotels, catering, and premium food products, HOTELEX is not only based in Shanghai but has expanded its exhibition footprint to the southwest region since 2014, covering both the Shanghai Exhibition (Hotelex Shanghai) and the Chengdu Exhibition (Hotelex Chengdu). In 2015, Hotelex will continue to push forward, not only entering Guangzhou to tap into the southern China market but also venturing abroad to challenge the Indonesian market. With four exhibitions working together, the “HOTELEX” brand concept will be extended limitlessly..

Magnanimous and inclusive, embracing all rivers — the true masters of the industry are found at HOTELEX..The Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supply Expo has successfully been held for twenty-four editions, and its journey through challenges has established its leading position in the hotel supplies exhibition industry. The pursuit of excellence, continuous striving for new heights, and the attitude of surpassing oneself are what allow classic brilliance to endure. The 25th Shanghai International Hospitality Equipment & Supply Expo will set sail once again at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre from March 29 to April 1, 2016.