With less than three weeks to go before the doors open at AB7 and SAITEX, over 1 000 exhibitors from 44 countries and thousands of visitors from around the world are gearing up for Africa’s two biggest business opportunities events, Africa’s Big Seven (AB7) food and beverage trade exhibition, and the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX). Online visitor registrations are almost double the number received in 2013, and still streaming in during the countdown to the 2015 events. AB7 and SAITEX take place simultaneously at Gallagher Convention Centre, Midrand from 21 - 23 June 2015.

More than 3 500 products and services will be on show, with SAITEX exhibitors focusing on a wide range of retail products including tools, hardware and building supplies, houseware and homeware, appliances, consumer electronics and much more. The biggest food and beverage expo in Africa, AB7’s seven sector-focused shows will feature fresh farm produce, processed and packaged foods and beverages, flavours, spices and ingredients, baking and cooking equipment, processing and packaging machinery, refrigeration, display and point-of-sale systems, and much more.

African Markets Attract Global Suppliers

“Worldwide interest in doing business in Africa is greater than ever, and more companies from around the world are using SAITEX and AB7 as a launch pad into Africa’s burgeoning consumer markets,” says John Thomson of Exhibition Management Services, organisers of the two shows.

“To date we have online registrations from across the continents – from countries including Australia, Estonia, the Russian Federation, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. We also have first-time national pavilions hosted by Belgium, Peru, Ukraine, Chile and France. All these companies are using AB7 and SAITEX to tap into lucrative African markets. We are also proud to have long-standing support from countries such as Brazil, India, Indonesia, Poland, Turkey, Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates”.

Intra-Africa Trade Boost

Thomson states that SAITEX and AB7 together form a powerful, versatile multi-sector networking platform for regional businesses exploring intra-Africa trade. African companies are strongly represented at this year’s shows. Visitors from more than 15 African countries including Cameroon, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Mozambique and Ghana, have registered online and will be using SAITEX to explore the myriad of business opportunities on offer. “Growth in intra-Africa trade is outpacing trade between Africa and rest of the world,” says Thomson. “While there are challenges, there are also huge opportunities; both SAITEX and AB7 provide the ideal business platform for leveraging opportunities in Africa.”

Provinces Tap into SAITEX

South Africa’s provinces are also well-represented at this year’s event. The provinces of North West, KwaZulu-Natal and Mangaung/Free State will be at SAITEX to access local and international markets, together with the powerhouse Cities of Joburg and Tshwane.

SAITEX - Dealmaker

Established 22 years ago, SAITEX has gained a stellar track record of linking business owners with new customers, expanding business networks, delivering qualified sales leads and successful business deals. In 2014 SAITEX boosted the Gauteng economy to the value of almost R80-million.

Business Opportunities Seminars

As part of the City of Joburg’s industrialisation programme and its drive to increase the size and value of its export base, it will host a number of seminars focussing on inward buying and investment and the City’s export competitiveness. Countries participating in these seminars include Botswana, Sri Lanka, The Slovak Republic, Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.