It’s that time of the year again – Hong Kong’s expansive Food Expo is making its return to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, offering visitors five exciting days of delicious exploring through a huge variety of vendors and their edible wares.
For the uninitiated, this highly anticipated annual event is packed with international and local flavours and flair, with plenty of opportunities to sample small bites as you get your steps in, find new favourite food products, and shop for snacks to bring home. Here’s what you need to know about the Food Expo, when it’s taking place, and how to get tickets.
When and where will the Food Expo take place?
Now in its 35th year, the annual Food Expo returns to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) in Wan Chai from August 14 to 18. More than 700 exhibitors are set to take over the venue, making for a thrilling mix of global gourmet experiences.
If you’ve got more on your mind than just food, the 35th Food Expo is happening at the HKCEC at the same time as the Hong Kong International Tea Fair (August 14 to 16), Beauty & Wellness Expo (August 14 to 18), and Home Delights Expo (August 14 to 18), so you can discover a wealth of lifestyle products and global tea culture on the same day!
What to expect at the Food Expo
It goes without saying that food and beverage will be the main focus of the event, and one of the key highlights of the 35th Food Expo is the Gourmet Zone, where seven themed areas will feature themes such as draft beverages, desserts, and fine dining.
From the immensely popular and globally loved Dubai chocolate to Chinese sake, specialty coffee, beef noodles, gelato, and nut butters, there’s plenty to chow down on as you hop from stall to stall. Meigetsudo, a long-standing Taiwanese confectionary shop specialising in authentic Japanese-style wagashi sweets, is a must-visit exhibitor.
10 acclaimed chefs will lead cooking demonstrations, showcasing the use of premium ingredients in their dishes. Among the culinary experts set to take the stage are OOAK Lamma’s Stefanie Leung, Deli Labo’s Nancy Fung, Dong Lai Shun’s Sze Chiu-kwan, Fook Lam Moon’s Chan Chun-hung, and The Royal Garden Le Soleil’s Do Thi Thuy Linh.
Over 30 brands will be showcasing their goods in the Premium Food section, including familiar names such as Lee Kum Kee, Kee Wah, Choya, Maxim’s, Wing Wah, and Nissin, as well as Häagen-Dazs, Original Taste Workshop, On Kee, and many more. Visitors can also swing by the Mezzanine Pub, a collaborative pop-up launched by local craft soda brand Mezzanine Makers to spotlight Hong Kong beverage brands, including Kowloon Spirits (our city’s first local whisky brand), N.I.P. Gin (an award-winning craft gin distillery), and Magnolia Lab, which creates liquor inspired by TCM and Western mixology.
Not to be missed is the China National Agricultural Pavilion, a diverse zone presenting a wide range of regional agricultural products and food spanning 13 Chinese provinces, such as Anhui, Hainan, Xinjiang, Shandong, and Guangdong, to name a few.
Is there anything else to check out apart from food?
As the Food Expo is happening concurrently with other fairs at HKCEC, each day will revolve around a different theme with exclusive activities and experiences. Shall We Tea? (August 14) focuses on dim sum demonstrations, tea therapy workshops, and tea-related talks. Flavours of Intangible Cultural Heritage (August 15) highlights the craftsmanship of Hakka sau fan, bamboo steamers and arts, and traditional flower plaques, alongside tai chi and wing chun performances. Asian cuisine and experiences take centre stage at Asian Delights (August 16) and Body, Mind & Soul (August 17) is all about healthy living and medical trends – there will even be a Smart Health Station available to offer senior visitors a free health test. Finally, Taste of HK (August 18) will put the spotlight on local produce and ingredients, encouraging home-cooking and farm-to-table dining.
Exhibition-goers can also take advantage of exclusive promotions priced at $35 at this year’s Food Expo, curated specially for the event’s special anniversary. Additionally, head to Hall 3 to join a treasure hunt game to win gifts. The Food Expo is also hosting a daily luck draw, offering prizes worth more than $1 million – here’s your chance to snag gourmet foods, kitchenware, furniture, beauty products, and health items! All you need to do for a chance to win is make a single transaction of $300 or more at the Food Expo.
How to get tickets to the Food Expo
Combo tickets and single tickets will be available for purchase from outlets and platforms such as AlipayHK, Alipay, the 01 Space e-ticketing platform, 7-Eleven and Circle K convenience stores around town, the Octopus mobile app, and The Club mobile app.
Pre-sale combo tickets cost $36 until August 13, rising to $40 from August 14 onwards for walk-ins – this allows access to the Food Expo Public Hall, Gourmet Zone, Home Delights Expo, Beauty & Wellness Expo, and the Hong Kong International Tea Fair on the same day. Meanwhile, single tickets cost $30 and will grant entry to all of the above, except for the Gourmet Zone, but there’s a $10 top-up option available on-site at the Hall 3B entrance should you decide last-minute that you want to pay it a visit.
In celebration of its 35th edition, the Food Expo is giving away free admission tickets each day before noon – 350 tickets are available for redemption at the Halls 3FG and 5FG entrances. If you miss out on these, make sure to secure your tickets through e-ticketing platforms, the above-mentioned mobile apps, or from 7-Elevens and Circle Ks around town, as there will be no physical tickets sales at the venue!
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