Navigating the food discovery and sustainability pathways at IFEX Philippines 2025

IFEX Philippines 2025 will add more value for both trade buyers and exhibitors as it expands show features and more exclusive activities.

MANILA, METRO MANILA, PHILIPPINES, March 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- With only two months to go before the biggest international food, beverage, and ingredients trade show in the country debuts its 18th edition, IFEX Philippines–as organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) –is offering a more comprehensive exhibition experience this May 22-24, 2025 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City, Philippines.

IFEX Philippines 2025 will add more value for both trade buyers and exhibitors as it expands show features and more exclusive activities during the three-day affair. The Exhibition Halls will focus on four major components:

FOODPhilippines Hall. Organized as a one-stop shop, trade buyers can source thousands of premium-quality, distinct food and authentic flavors from the country’s 17 regions and top food brands, all at par with the global export market.

International Zone. Further boosting international trade, leading companies and manufacturers from across the globe will feature their products and other offerings. IFEX Philippines continues to strengthen its positioning as an international trading hotspot, with recent years seeing more exhibitor presence from countries, such as China, the EU, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Spain, Thailand, the UAE, USA, and Vietnam.

Sustainability Hall. As the country’s banner event for the sustainability sector, CITEM’s Sustainability Solutions Exchange (SSX) program will offer a curated selection of local and international sustainable products and solution providers working to advance ecological practices within the global food value chain. This year marks the pilot of the physical edition as a co-located show – SSX Exhibition and Conference.

MarketPlace. Product offerings that are not typically found in local stores, making it a unique advantage for shoppers looking to buy at retail

Attention to details
Trade buyers and visitors can also look forward to the regular show features of IFEX Philippines that encapsulate the creativity, innovations, support programs, and new specialized services available for export. These are the following:

Grocer’s Exchange Mart (G-Mart)
A special business matching platform designed for private labeling transactions. Aimed at featuring local and international suppliers and matching them with international retail giants, top grocers, and toll-packers.

Flavor Finds
A collection of emerging trends, innovative product developments, and groundbreaking advancements shaping the global food scene. Exhibitors in this group are eligible to join CITEM’s KATHA Awards for Food.

Open House
A showcase of the latest programs, research, and interventions from the government for the food MSMEs at all levels of the value chain.

IFEX Kitchen
Offers a taste of Philippine and international cuisine made even more exciting with cooking demonstrations by top-caliber chefs. The IFEX Kitchen also provides opportunities for companies to introduce new products via product demonstrations.

KATHA Awards for Food
Honors newly developed food products and applications that demonstrate exceptional packaging design, product innovation, and market demand and readiness. Exhibitor applications and nominations are currently ongoing for various categories under this year’s KATHA Awards for Food. Participants must be current exhibitors under IFEX Philippines Flavor Finds. Applications are ongoing throughout March 2025.

Dynamics for lasting change
With CITEM’s IFEX Philippines now a co-located show with the SSX Exhibition and Conference, trade fair attendees will also learn more about the innovative products and exhibitors advancing sustainable practices in food. Available as well are B2B matching and learning initiatives aimed at future-proofing the industry. This core group includes entities and personalities engaged in the following areas: food packaging solutions, green technology for food agriculture and fisheries, certifying bodies for sustainable standards, alternative industrial products for food production, inventions, and government-initiated projects, among others.

The strategic geographical landscape of the Philippines, diverse biodiversity, and rich agriculture contribute to excellent and sustainable harvest resources. Pushing forth, it is crucial to have stability frameworks in place to command effective engagement, protocols, and understanding for reliable ecological solutions in the F&B industry, relevant policymaking, and competitive MSMEs toward a more secure global food supply system.

CITEM is leading the way in creating opportunities to achieve these goals with its SSX program. With the right connections, people, and technical know-how to address the dearth of accessible information and instrumentalities within public reach, SSX aims to contribute significantly to the country’s commitment towards the achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Attendees of IFEX Philippines 2025 can expect to see two specific zones at the SSX Exhibition, namely: a Sustainable Solutions and Incubators area, and SSX Zone at the Marketplace Hall. Both areas will demonstrate theories and best practices, innovations, and relevant services and products available in today’s food and cross-industry markets.

Similar to that of IFEX Philippines, the business matching activities are geared toward building and strengthening relations, this time among sustainability experts and trade movers toward future collaborations and programs. Days 1 and 2 will be dedicated for the SSX Conference. Discussions will range from challenges and opportunities to highlighting global and national sustainability trends.

To champion sustainability in food, CITEM is collaborating with a Technical Working Group (TWG) composed of key industry and government stakeholders to develop a dynamic and impactful conference track for SSX. The TWG members include Expertise France, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), the European Union (EU), the Department of Science and Technology - National Capital Region (DOST-NCR), the Department of Trade and Industry - Competitiveness and Innovation Group (DTI-CIG), the Department of Agriculture (DA), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

To learn more about SSX, visit sustainability.ph – the country’s first online sourcing and knowledge-sharing platform on sustainability for the world’s essential industries. Interested parties can visit ifexconnect.com for more details on how to be part of IFEX Philippines, KATHA Awards, and schedule specifics for SSX Exhibition and Conference. Application to be part of the SSX Exhibition is until 31 March 2025. You may also visit citem.com.ph to know more about the country’s export promotion efforts, news, and overseas trade fair participation.

Elmer Harold Grande
CITEM
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