This year’s Foodpro 2011 proved to be the biggest ever, reinforcing the exhibition’s status in the Asia Pacific as the largest and most significant show for the region’s food and beverage processing and manufacturing industries.

More than 8800 key industry decision-makers attended during the four days of the exhibition, a 13 per cent increase from Foodpro 2008.

The triennial exhibition, held in July, featured 328 exhibitors, an 18 per cent increase from 2008. As a result, the show expanded from four to five halls, filling a total of 22,000 sq m of space at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Food processing machinery exhibitor, Symetec displayed its formatic forming and portioning machine as well as its new ball-rolling machine that can be hand fed or placed after the forming machine.

The equipment company told Australian Baking Business it engaged with bakers, cookie producers and health bar manufacturers trying to find solutions to their production bottlenecks and/or new machinery to widen the scope of products they could produce.

“Most often on their shopping lists were the formatic forming and portioning machines, which use a rotating drum to press out shapes to a conveyor at speeds from 1000 to 36,000 pieces per hour, depending on model chosen and the drum configuration,” a Symetec spokesperson said.

Exhibitor Mojo Foods’ Vincent Bahn said Foodpro offered three unique benefits to the industry.

“First, the scale of the show, it is really one-stop-shopping. All of the equipment suppliers along with the key ingredients are under one roof. Secondly, it’s the best place for new ideas. You see the latest technology and capabilities that will generate new ideas for your business. Thirdly, there are networking opportunities with decision-makers across the industry,” Mr Bahn said.

Plans are already in motion for the next Foodpro exhibition. With positive feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike, Foodpro exhibition manager, Peter Petherick is confident Foodpro 2014 will be even bigger and more impressive.