ON THE PULSE OF THE INDUSTRY: FOODEXPO QAZAQSTAN, QAZPACK AND HOREX&CLEANEXPO OPEN NEW HORIZONS FOR BUSINESS, UNITING MORE THAN 515 COMPANIES FROM 34 COUNTRIES

Today, November 13, the largest industry exhibitions – FoodExpo Qazaqstan, QazPack and Horex&CleanExpo Qazaqstan – were ceremoniously opened at the Atakent Exhibition Center. The expo sites, organized for professionals in the food industry, packaging, hospitality and cleaning, became a bright and significant event for business representatives and specialists seeking to expand their business horizons, get acquainted with innovative technologies and establish international cooperation. On the first day alone, 3,560 industry specialists visited the exhibition.

The FoodExpo Qazaqstan exhibition, which became the central site for demonstrating the latest achievements in the food industry, was attended by 383 companies from 30 countries, including Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Hungary, Germany, Georgia, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, UAE, Palestine, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, USA, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, South Korea. National stands were presented by Austria, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Palestine, Poland, Sri Lanka and South Korea. Collective stands were demonstrated by Germany and several Chinese provinces, as well as 19 regions of Russia, including Adygea, Bashkortostan, Karelia, Perm Territory, Nizhny Novgorod, Tomsk regions and others. Such a variety of expositions clearly demonstrates the international interest in developing economic ties with Kazakhstan.

61 Kazakhstani and 322 international representatives presented their products at the exhibition, which indicates the increased interest of international companies in the Kazakhstan market, which is becoming increasingly attractive to investors and producers in the food industry. 206 companies, which is 54% of the total number of exhibitors, took part in the exhibition for the first time.

The FoodExpo Qazaqstan exhibition began its work with the Plenary Session “Promotion of the Made in Kazakhstan brand: from internal reforms to international markets”. The speakers, including Anuar Beisekov, Deputy Director of the E-Commerce Department, QazTrade Center for Development of Trade Policy JSC, Dauren Dumanov, Director of Almaty branch of National Center for Expertise and Certification JSC, Almas Kalkayev, Director of the Representative Office in Almaty, Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan JSC, and Valentin Walter, Export Director, Sultan Marketing, discussed strategies for promoting Kazakhstan products in the international arena.

The symbolic opening of the FoodExpo Qazaqstan exhibition was marked by a ribbon-cutting ceremony by honored guests and organizers, as well as a subsequent familiarization tour of the exhibition.

In addition to the extensive exposition, the FoodExpo Qazaqstan site offered a rich business program. The content of the first day’s program included a session “Profit-making art: assortment management in retail” from Anna Bakurskaya, well-known expert in category management, where participants received unique knowledge on creating strategies for retail and food and beverage manufacturers. Linde Gas held a seminar “Innovations in freezing and cooling”, introducing participants to advanced methods for preserving the quality of meat and fish products.

The retail center – a site for direct negotiations between suppliers and retail chains and distributors of Kazakhstan and Central Asia has started its work. Today, representatives of such large chains as Arbuz, Magnum, Colibri have already held a number of b2b meetings, and tomorrow, 8 domestic chains and distributors will take part in the retail center.

The first day of the exhibition was also marked by the award ceremony for the winners of the annual tasting competition “Best products of the FoodExpo Qazaqstan 2024 exhibition”. 27 companies and 42 products received the Honorary Diploma and Gold Medal “Best Product of FoodExpo Qazaqstan 2024”.

At the exhibition site, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed within the framework of the Pischevka 3D: QAZAQ conference and the FoodExpo Qazaqstan 2025 exhibition between Vatel Consulting LLC and Iteca LLP, aimed at creating effective networking for the food industry.

No less significant is the QazPack 2024 exhibition, which has become a key event for professionals in the packaging industry. This year, 98 companies took part, of which 28 were from Kazakhstan and 70 were international. The geography of participants is represented by 14 countries, including Belarus, Germany, India, Iran, China, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Uzbekistan, France and Switzerland. This wide range of participants emphasizes the international significance of the exhibition, which brings together advanced solutions in the field of packaging, containers and labels for various industries.

The Horex & Clean Expo Qazaqstan exhibitions, aimed at developing the industry of hospitality and cleaning, brought together more than 35 companies from 14 countries, including Belarus, Iran, Italy, Spain, Germany, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Japan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, and the USA. Of all the participants, 26 companies specialize in the HoReCa segment, and 9 in cleaning services. The exhibitors were 16 Kazakhstan companies and 19 international manufacturers. 14 companies are participating in the exhibition for the first time, which emphasizes its popularity and importance in the professional environment.

The landmark event of the exhibition was the 10th anniversary Horex Business Forum, aimed at raising the level of professionalism in the HoReCa sector. The forum program covers 6 key blocks, including more than 18 topics that reveal current issues of attracting and retaining customers, risk management, new marketing opportunities using AI, eco-responsibility, as well as the role of bloggers and critics in forming the image of the restaurant business. It is noteworthy that in honor of the forum’s anniversary, admission is free for all participants, which allows more specialists to gain access to valuable knowledge and recommendations.

Today at the Horex Business Forum, speakers discussed key areas for the development of the hospitality industry. The sessions covered effective strategies for attracting and retaining personnel to ensure a high level of service, as well as risk management issues in the field of accounting and compliance with legislation. Particular attention was paid to marketing opportunities using artificial intelligence, where successful franchise cases were presented, demonstrating how modern technologies can contribute to business growth.

New CleanExpo Interactive Zone offers unique opportunities for training and practical exercises. Here, visitors were introduced to innovative solutions in the field of hygiene safety and cleaning throughout the day, including practical cases and master classes from leading experts.

The FoodExpo Qazaqstan, QazPack and Horex&CleanExpo Qazaqstan exhibitions demonstrated a high level of organization, international coverage and commitment to developing the industry at the global level. They became a platform for establishing new partnerships, exchanging experience and introducing advanced technologies that contribute to increasing the competitiveness of Kazakhstan businesses and taking them to a new level. Participants and guests noted the importance of such events, emphasizing the growing role of Kazakhstan in the international arena and creating favorable conditions for further economic cooperation and innovative development.

The exhibitions will continue for two more days, we are waiting for professionals from the food industry, packaging, hospitality and cleaning by pre-registering on the event websites!