SINGAPORE – Exhibitors and trade buyers can match, source and sell coffee and tea via a new virtual trade show – Future Tea & Coffee Summit and Expo 2020 – that runs online from June 24 to 26.
Large-scale events such as trade fairs and exhibitions are currently not allowed to resume in phase two, and the organisers – regional conference organiser Conference & Exhibition Management Services (CEMS) and online tea marketplace teapasar – have come up with a way to replicate the trade show experience.
Instead of just sending a message to exhibitors, buyers can have a video conference with them. Sellers can upload photos and videos of their products for browsing online. There are also webinars with various industry leaders.
The event uses ProfilePrint – a food ingredient analysis scanner that uses artificial intelligence "food fingerprinting" technology – since buyers will not be able to touch or taste products. It allows for rapid authentication and analysis of the ingredient – right down to its molecular structure – to make up its "fingerprint".
ProfilePrint is the sister company of teapasar and the portable food scanner was launched last year (2019) at teapasar's Singapore Tea Festival.
ProfilePrint's founder and executive director Alan Lai, 41, says: "With a digital fingerprint, the seller cannot cheat buyers and give a good sample today, but eventually send sub-quality products. This will prevent a lot more disputes in the trade."
For those who do not require such detailed scientific analysis, they can filter their preferences through more general categories such as acidity, roast, sweetness and body for coffee.
After the three-day event, a survey will be conducted among the exhibitors to give an estimate of possible business transactions within six months to one year, as well as on how to improve the experience for the second edition of the expo slated for November (2020).
Mr Edward Liu, 72, group managing director of CEMS, says: Read More – Source
[contf] [contfnew]
