WASHINGTON -- After holding two AsiaMart trade shows during the past two years, the Food Marketing Institute here said it will not hold the third installment of the show, scheduled for later this year in Singapore.
ducational programming and trade-show management.
"We will work with other industry associations in the region to help strengthen existing shows and minimize duplication, strengthen Asian delegations at our U.S. shows and work closely with U.S. trade offices throughout the region to promote trade across the Pacific," he said.
An FMI spokeswoman said no decision has been made on the future of the AsiaMart show.
The FMI announced, on the eve of AsiaMart '96 last fall, that the trade show would be held annually, rather than every two years as originally planned, based on the success of the initial convention.
The FMI had anticipated a turnout of 2,000 to 2,500 people at the first event, AsiaMart '95, but instead had 3,248 registrants from 42 countries. That turnout had a major effect on the institute's decision to schedule the show annually.
However, the number of registrants fell to 2,250 at last fall's AsiaMart '96, although Hammonds acknowledged that both shows had been successful.
"We had positive comments from exhibitors as well as retailers, and we learned there is an important role for FMI in Asia," Hammonds said. "Our presence in Hong Kong has opened the door for FMI to play a direct role in the growing China supermarket industry much faster than anticipated.
"We will be able to pursue an invitation from the government of Shanghai to work together on developing a supermarket trade show there in the near future. This places FMI in the most rapidly developing retail center of China and allows us to move away from competition with the many food-industry shows already taking place in the developed markets of the region."
Hammonds said the FMI also plans to explore other opportunities for partnerships with Asian organizations as part of its long-term Asia strategy by concentrating its efforts on areas where there is the greatest need for FMI's expertise in trade-show management and educational programming.
