Food & Hotel Indonesia (FHI) Returns in 2023 as Sustainable Trade Exhibition

Jakarta, – Upon welcoming the 17th edition, Food & Hotel Indonesia (FHI) Exhibition will return on 25-28 July 2023 at the Jakarta International Expo (JIEXPO). FHI currently becoming an annual event, would like to invite all business players and professionals in hospitality and food & beverages (F&B) industries to join Indonesia’s leading comprehensive international trade exhibition and business networking.

 FHI’s return proves PT Pamerindo Indonesia’s commitment to supporting the sustainable growth of Indonesia’s hospitality and F&B sectors, especially considering that the company has been conducting FHI for over 29 years. FHI in 2023 will present various innovations that will improve access to the global market and accelerate the positive impact on the environment through its sustainability initiatives.

“Sustainability is the approach that is applicable in all endeavors to make a sustainable business with positive impacts. Align with this year’s theme “Counteract the Environmental Impact Through Sustainability Towards the Global Market”, FHI 2023 is dedicated to supporting sustainability by fostering a collective effort towards creating a more conscious exhibition for the future. Therefore, we present FHI with three fundamentals: inspiring sustainable development, running an environmentally sustainable event, and running a socially responsible event,” stated Juanita Soerakoesoemah as Event Director of FHI 2023.

This year, one of FHI’s key initiatives is the reduction of food waste so FHI collaborates with the ALLAS Project, a community-based initiative that promotes sustainability by collecting and sanitizing reusable food containers that would otherwise be discarded. By providing reusable food containers at the event, FHI can significantly reduce the use of single-use plastics and other disposable materials. This not only helps to reduce waste but also supports the circular economy by prolonging the lifespan of materials.

FHI for this year’s event also established partnerships with Alton Waste Management, a trusted waste supplier in Indonesia, which focuses on cardboard waste distribution services with a “Go Green” motto. Additionally, FHI has implemented a high-tech weighing machine to accurately measure the net weight of bulk cartons transported by trucks, ensuring efficient waste management.

FHI 2023 will be held in conjunction with Hotelex Indonesia and Finefood Indonesia, incorporating Retail Indonesia which will make it the largest trade-only exhibition for F&B and Hospitality industry in Indonesia. FHI will bring global access to hundreds of exhibiting companies and thousands of prominent brands, comprising leading manufacturing, distributor, and retail companies from 30 countries. “To date, 692 exhibiting companies consisting of 401 local and 291 overseas companies, have confirmed to join FHI 2023,” Juanita commented.

Juanita also elaborated that FHI has great potential to support business growth in the hospitality and F&B industries. Indonesia’s Statistics Agency (BPS) showed that the nation’s GDP of F&B industries in 2022 increased by 4.90%, making up 6.35% of the total national GDP1.

“(from the data above) means that (Indonesia’s) household spending for food and beverages, restaurants, and hotels is one of the highest contributors to the national GDP growth; thus, Indonesia is a developing and lucrative market. For this reason, FHI, which was originally held every 2 years, will be presented again this year after successfully attracting 32 thousand visitors last year in 2022. This year, FHI will keep providing wide access for our participants so that they may expand their businesses in this sector,” explained Juanita.

She added that the FHI visitors will get a chance to learn directly from experts in the industry and open business networking with various professionals through many supporting events presented by association partners in the hospitality and F&B industries and sponsored by some of the exhibitors of FHI 2023.

During FHI 2023, there will be the 13th Salon Culinaire, which is an international chef’s competition of culinary skills in various categories, and Wok Competition held by the Association Culinary Professionals Indonesia (ACP) and sponsored by Keisi, Rotaryana, and Lotus Food Services. Rafael Triloko Basanto as President of ACP explained, the enthusiastic spirit for healthy competition is important to raise a higher standard to maximize the skills and creativity of all Indonesian chefs and culinary practitioners.

"This competition accommodates professionals and students in the culinary world to grind and improve their individual abilities, in addition to also promoting Indonesian food to be better known abroad through this international competition," said Rafael.

He added, Salon Culinaire is presented to provide a platform for suppliers, distributors, practitioners, individuals, professionals, and students to interact and build a network with one another. This prestigious international competition will be judged by the World Association of Chef's Societies (WACS) and Worldchefs which is a global network of certified chef associations since 1928.

Furthermore, there is Asia Pastry & Baking Challenge by Indonesia Pastry Alliance (IPA) and sponsored by Mega Global, Spirit of Indonesian Chocolate by Indonesia Pastry Alliance (IPA) collaborates with Indonesia Sommelier Association (ISA); Gelato Workshop by Carpigiani, Indonesia Coffee Events (ICE) by Specialty Coffee Association of Indonesia (SCAI); Wine Masterclass and Sommelier Competition by Indonesia Sommelier Association (ISA); FHI’s newest event, Barnation, a bartending competition is initiated by FHI in collaboration with Indonesia Food & Beverage Executive Association (IFBEC) and sponsored by Nano Logistic and Jaddi Internasional, Coffee Talk by Dewan Kopi Indonesia (DEKOPI).

Andri Putrajaya the Head of IFBEC Jakarta Chapter expressed his high enthusiasm for the first time joined FHI. Therefore, IFBEC presents Barnation, a bartending competition aimed at forming Indonesian professional bartenders who have the knowledge, skills, and expertise to be able to compete and be recognized internationally. There are two categories of Mix Master: A Challenge of Cocktail Creation and Shake It Up: A Battle of The Bartenders.

"Besides that, we also have F&B Innovation Awards, IFBEC Talk Show and a Craft to Beer Fest event, which is a Networking Day event where all industry practitioners, vendors, and suppliers can gather to share and discuss the updates of this (beverage) industry," said Andri.

Redbull will also bring an exciting networking event to FHI 2023 through a Party Truck Event that will present some of the renowned DJs in town. In addition, APEDA for the first time take the meat product category which will hold a seminar with BULOG.

FHI also brings its very own events with well-known professionals that are no less exciting to help visitors gain endless insights to help them grow their businesses such as the FHI Business Matching Programme, Industry Seminars, FHI TV Programme, and many more.

Sustainable Exhibition

Various sustainability initiatives will be implemented to engage a diverse and environmentally conscious audience, so they can be inspired to make more conscientious choices for a better future. FHI 2023’s sustainable movements include using renewable energies that make electricity usage carbon neutral, designing an exhibition area by using environment-friendly material and reducing the carpet used on the exhibition floor, minimizing the level of waste generated especially plastic bottle by encourage visitors to #BringYourOwnTumbler, facilitating discussions and knowledge on sustainability like a seminar “Accelerate Sustainability in Hotel Operation” in collaborating with Indonesian Hotel General Manager Association (IHGMA), upcycling exhibition materials in collaborating with local interior designers, sourcing fresh and local catering, and applying digital adoption to reduce paper usage.

Holding a sustainable exhibition and supporting the making “Indonesia 4.0 by 2030”, FHI 2023 empower sustainable future of digital technology that can help reduce carbon footprint of events by enabling digital platforms to run event activities, facilitate online registration, and maximise digital marketing effectiveness. Digital technology allows FHI to save a significant number of printed materials in different parts of an event such as marketing and promotional items, operations set-up, and many more.

Visitor access to FHI 2023 is open through pre-registration until 17 July 2023 at https://bit.ly/fhi2023pre-reg. Visitors who have pre-registered will gain free access worth of IDR 150,000 for four days to the FHI 2023. For further information, visitors may access https://www.foodhotelindonesia.com/ and FHI’s official Instagram account (@foodhotelindonesia_fhi).