Tastell arrived at Thaifex Anuga Asia 2024!

As a specialized Chinese food foreign trade enterprise focusing on premium roasted nut and seed snacks, Tastell took part in THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2024, the premier Asia-Pacific food and beverage B2B exhibition, held from 28 May to 1 June 2024 at IMPACT Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand. Centered on the official theme “Beyond Food Experience”, this landmark fair gathered 3,133 exhibitors from 52 countries and regions, attracting 85,850 professional buyers spanning 131 markets, covering supermarket chains, HoReCa distributors, importers, private label operators and food processing manufacturers across Southeast Asia, South Asia, Oceania and the Middle EastTHAIFEX - .... For Tastell, this exhibition was far more than a product showcase; it served as a strategic marketplace to present its low-acrylamide roasted sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews and broad bean snacks, validate ASEAN market preferences, strengthen supplier networks and lock in long-term distribution partnerships.

Tastell’s booth focused on its core competitive advantages built on flavor chemistry and innovative roasting technology, which we have continuously optimized for overseas markets. Our displayed portfolio featured low-salt roasted sunflower seeds, seasoned pumpkin seeds and blanched cashew kernels, with complete supporting documents including ISO22000, HACCP, and third-party test reports on peroxide value, acrylamide content and sensory evaluation. Different from the general bulk snack suppliers at the show, Tastell emphasized controlled thermal processing: microwave-assisted staged roasting retains natural nutrition while limiting harmful thermal by-products, and our R&D team can adjust salt dosage, roasting intensity and seasoning formulas to meet localized taste demands. During on-site sampling, many buyers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia commented positively on the balanced nutty aroma, moderate crispness and absence of heavy burnt bitterness, which fit well with mainstream snack tastes in ASEAN. We also prepared custom packaging samples for private-label cooperation, offering flexible solutions ranging from small retail pouches to bulk industrial packing for repackagers.

Face-to-face B2B matchmaking formed the most valuable part of Tastell’s exhibition schedule. Before the fair opened, our sales team pre-booked more than 40 one-on-one negotiation sessions with screened importers. At the booth, we held in-depth talks with buyers from Thailand’s major retail groups, Malaysian halal distributors and Singaporean specialty snack retailers. A prominent topic in these conversations was halal certification and local import compliance. Since a large share of ASEAN consumers require halal-compliant packaged food, Tastell accelerated its halal certification progress after collecting market feedback at the show. Many clients also raised specific technical requirements, such as shelf-life stability under tropical high-temperature and high-humidity storage conditions, label regulation for Thai and Indonesian markets, and traceability documentation for agricultural raw materials. These real demands helped our technical team refine product formulas and quality control standards, filling gaps in our original export specification system.

We also joined several industry seminars hosted alongside THAIFEX – Anuga Asia 2024 to track Asia’s latest snack trends. The sessions covered clean-label development, sustainable food packaging, lipid oxidation control for nut products and the booming halal food economy. We noticed that ASEAN consumers are shifting away from heavily seasoned, high-sodium snacks toward healthier options with fewer additives, transparent ingredient lists and stable nutritional retention. This trend aligns perfectly with Tastell’s existing product roadmap of low-salt, low-acrylamide roasted seeds and nuts. Meanwhile, we benchmarked competing exhibitors from Turkey, Vietnam and India, identifying our differentiation: consistent flavor stability supported by standardized sensory evaluation and reliable batch quality, rather than only price competition.

Naturally, we encountered practical challenges throughout the five-day event. Tropical logistics, cold-chain limits, different labeling rules across ASEAN member states and longer payment cycles for new distributors remain common obstacles for Chinese snack exporters. Some buyers expressed concerns about minimum order quantities and delivery lead times. In response, Tastell rolled out flexible cooperation terms: mixed container loading of different nut varieties, pilot small trial orders and localized after-sales communication. We also exchanged experience with other Chinese exhibitors, sharing solutions on sample transportation, quarantine declaration and cross-border settlement.

Compared with other overseas expos we attended, such as HCMC FOODEX and the Budapest China Brand Fair, THAIFEX – Anuga Asia carries stronger international influence. It is not limited to the Vietnamese or CEE market; it connects us with buyers from the Middle East, Australia and South Asia, many of whom have demand for halal nut products. After the show closed, our team sorted all inquiry records: we collected more than 120 valid buyer contacts, signed three framework distribution agreements and confirmed multiple trial orders.