The first Bakery Fair Davao commenced on March 1, 2018 at SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premier.
The three day event was organized by the Filipino-Chinese Association, Inc. (FCBAI) as its 10th International Exhibit on Bakery, Confectionary and Food Service Equipment and Supplies.
According to Bien Enrico Ah president of FCBAI, half of the events were shown at the Bakery Fair 2017 at the World Trade Center Manila. He said that the major exhibitors last year are here in Davao.
This event offers free technical seminar and product presentation from FCBAI’s exhibitors. A total of 76 local and foreign exhibitors are in the Bake Fair. The organizers are expecting 5,000 people to come to the event.
He said that they are here in Davao because they wanted to bring the knowledge, the technology to the Dabawenyos.
He chose Davao in answer to inquiries as to when will the group hold a fair in Mindanao. He also found out that the airfare going to Manila from Davao is expensive and he thought that the participant has to find a place to stay and they are not familiar with the place
“ It was shoot down three times but I was firm with my decision and as I’ve said the exhibitors are at my back even the director said no I was very bullish in coming here to Davao with or without them I could just change the name, my exhibitors are there,” Ah said.
Ah was able to convince majority of the FCBAI’s board of directors to conduct the Bakery Fair here in Davao City for which he was very thankful.
Majority of the exhibitors are supported the idea of having the bake fair in Davao. During the first booking 75 percent of them signed up some of them are first timers some of them are not.
He said he bought seven engineers from Manila and from Cebu t support the Davao Contractors in constructing the booths for the exhibitors.
“It took us four days for the ingress and three days for the show and the nightmare was we only had 16 hours to pull out everything. This is something we as an organizer have to ready the technical team, to plan but I would say as what the management and the security guards have said that this is one of the most organized show ,” he said.
The seminar was held in the the afternoon starting with the Bakery Management Forum which was discussed by Roy Chung of the U.S Wheat Associates, Singapore.
This was followed by the Sweet naturally California Raisin Creations whose speaker is Master Baker and Pastry Chef Audrey Tan from Raisin Administrative Committee. Followed by Bakery Café Collections whose speaker is Chef Danilo Basilio from Globa; Pacific Distribution Network Corporation. Session four is about the Heritage (Product of USA) Nutrilicious California Produce whose speaker is Chef Wolen Supera; from Heritage TPH Ventures Inc. and the last session is about the Us Dehydrated Potatoes as your winning baking ingredient whose speaker is Chef Editha Singian from Dane International Commodities Inc.
