Wang Haolan Holly_cn@163.com THE second edition of Sigep China, the Chinese spinoff of the world-leading B2B dolce foodservice expo Sigep, kicked off at Hall 1 of Shenzhen Convention and Exhibition Center in Futian District on Wednesday and runs through Friday. “Sigep is one of the biggest trade shows presented by IEG. It has been held for 45 years in Rimini, Italy,” said Flavia Morelli, group exhibition manager of IEG’s Food & Beverage Division. “About two years ago, we decided to launch the international project of Sigep, and at first step, we decided to bring the trade show to China, which is a very powerful market for Italian and European companies.” “Within the huge market of China, we have chosen to launch the event in Shenzhen last year,” Morelli said, adding that the city is fast-growing and dynamic with a young demographic and access to the latest trends. Morelli mentioned that just a few hours after the official opening of the expo Wednesday morning, the pavilion hall has been crowded with visitors. “We have noticed that there is an increase in the visitors compared with last year’s event,” she said. For Francesco Santa, international business development director of IEG, China stands as one of the most important markets for IEG’s global development. “We see China as one of the most important markets, not only for the opportunities for Italian companies to come and export their products, but also for our need to attract Chinese companies and their knowhow to Italy,” he said. “China and Italy both have time-honored traditions in food. So I think there can be a lot of interchanges between those two cultures,” Santa said. “And I believed holding Sigep can definitely facilitate this kind of cultural exchange.” His idea was endorsed by Morelli, who believes that the “Dolce” Italian lifestyle holds strong appeal for the younger generation in China. “The market in Europe is mature yet relatively small. Therefore, we are investing a lot in international expansion to give Italian companies opportunities to discover new avenues abroad,” added Santa. “I would like to recommend any of our exhibitors or customers to consider doing business in China,” she said. | 