PROFOOD, PROPACK AND AG-BIZ TO PROVIDE BIGGEST CLUES TO FOOD MANUFACTURERS

Pro Food and Pro Pack and Agbiz Exhibition, Sri Lanka’s largest food, packaging and agriculture expo will be held from 4^th – 6^th August 2017 for the 16^th consecutive year at the Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Hall.

The exhibition is organized by the Sri Lanka Food Processors Association together with Lanka Exhibition and Conference Services (LECS).

“This event which has witnessed an evolutionary increase over the decade will be held under the theme “from the farm to the fork denoting the entire chain of the food industry which include the inception of the food which mainly revolve around farms, to the process and finally, the food table of the consumer. This event is an excellent opportunity not only for large scale manufacturers but also for small and micro level manufacturers as well because all stakeholders from, the food processing sector participating for this national event, President Sri Lanka Food Processors Association, Maliek De Alwis said.

The exhibition and consumer fair scheduled to be held within a span of three days and expecting more than 20,000 to 30,000 visitors to the event and also help to interact with prospective buyers and also understand the new technology that is being used for the sector, due to foreign participation. Moreover, the event will feature all facets of the food and beverage industry and will include intricate details and the meticulous process that is required, for food products in order to make them available to the consumer. During the event Institute of Science and Technology will present its annual research paper will be presented and several other institutes will conduct several training programms for interested parties he said.

Executive Director, Hayleys, Agriculture Sector Mr. Rizvi Zaheed said, this event is renowned for providing a unique and comprehensive platform for the discovery and introduction of food processing, engineering and packaging services among the host of other benefits both the visitors and the stall holders would receive. This event would enable to show case the progress that Sri Lanka has made in the agro business sector during the last so many years. Therefore, this event is an ideal platform for prospective persons who are interested in the agriculture sector including agriculture graduates, interested parties. All stakeholders in the agriculture sector will be participating for this event, which will help Sri Lanka to getting into the international value chain in the food industry he said.

Mr. Dhammika Gunasekara one of the active persons in the move said that at this year’s expo is the two separate pavilions from the largest global players in the Industry India and China. Over 80 companies from India and China will participate at this year event. The event is set to attract all stakeholders from many South East Asian countries as well. He said that Ministry of Industries will sponsor for the SME and micro sector entities pavilion. Since the all the countries participated since this inception in 2001 and are now increasing the number new manufacturer’s participation, which has created a space problem, Gunasekera said

The event has been earmarked as ‘a must attend’ throughout the entirety of its existence, and has been renowned for providing all visitors and stall holders a unique experience and also this year would be the 16^th consecutive year is an excellent platform to understands the industry trends in the world because several foreign participation would share their knowledge and knowhow for the local manufactures, founder of the event Mario De Alwis said.

This is the only exhibition of its kind to be held in the Island and over the years it has been known to provide each visitor and stall holder with a unique and unparalleled experience in terms of networking, sales leads and knowledge.

CEO, LECS Mr. Aasim Mukthar said that more than 350 stalls have been allocated for the local and foreign manufactures, which is the biggest event in the country in relation to the food and agriculture sector.

The exhibition is supported and endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. The National Agri Business Council join hands with the organizers to provide an insight to the agri business areas.

Award Winners

BEST   STALL – FOOD & BEVERAGE CATEGORY
02^nd  Runner up         –  Maliban Biscuits Manufactories (pvt) Ltd
01^st Runner up           – Country Style Foods (pvt) Ltd – SMAK
Winner                    –  Pussalla Meat Producers (Pvt) Ltd

BEST STALL – PACKAGING CATEGORY
02^nd  Runner up – Target Pack Holdings (Pvt) Ltd
01^st Runner up   – Phoenix Industries Limited
Winner            –  Mead Lee Packaging Industries (Pvt) Ltd

BEST STALL – MACHINERY CATEGORY

Joint 02^nd Runner up – Westmann Engineering co (Pvt) Ltd

Joint 02^nd Runner up – Transcontinental Packaging & Commodities(Pvt) Ltd

1^st runner up – Industrial Stainless Steel Fabrications (Pvt) Ltd.

Winner – CMC Engineering Export GMBH

BEST STALL – SME PAVILION
2^nd runner up – Sewitha Products

1^st runner up – Sathu Star Industry

Winner – Radha Lanka

BEST STALL – AGBIZ
2^nd runner up – Stall 239,246 – Opex Holdings (pvt) Ltd

1^st runner up – Stall 232 – CIC Seeds (Pvt) Ltd

Winner – Stalls 222 to 224 – Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd

BEST STALL – INSTITUTIONAL CATEGORY
2^nd runner up – University of Wayamba