Virtual trade show gives international buyers a new way to sea-food – and beverages

Entrance lobby at the Atlantic Canada Virtual Showcase for Seafood, Food and Beverage.

 

Over 40 businesses from Atlantic Canada recently met with people from three different continents in two days. Not physically, but virtually.

COVID-19 has changed many things. With the “new normal” looking very different from the old, businesses are adapting to avoid lost opportunities. This necessity is what inspired Food and Beverage Atlantic’s first virtual trade show, held on June 24-25, 2020.

“When COVID-19 started to affect business, and plans for face-to-face business meetings with buyers from around the globe were cancelled, we very quickly realized we needed to find new solutions to continue doing business,” says Sara Robinson, a member of Food and Beverage Atlantic’s board of directors.

“When presented with an opportunity to produce a trade show in a virtual setting, we saw this as an alternative worth considering,” adds Sara. “The concept of producing an interactive and engaging format in a virtual setting seemed like it was a plausible solution.”

Complete with a virtual layout reminiscent of most physical trade shows, the event connected Atlantic Canadian seafood, food and beverage companies with other markets. Companies could meet with buyers and trade commissioners from South America, North America and Asia to promote their products. Sara says this virtual format may even have had a leg up on traditional venues.

“The beauty of this format was that our Atlantic Canadian companies were the sole focus for these international buyers,” she says. “At a traditional show, our companies compete with thousands of other exhibitors and there is no guarantee that the buyer visiting the show will even make it to their booth.”

While the virtual layout was familiar for those who frequent trade shows, it offered tools that would be rare to have at in-person events. A virtual reception desk offered service in five different languages and guided attendees to exhibitors’ customized online booths. Networking rooms gave attendees the chance to chat with each other while an automated translation function ensured language barriers weren’t an issue.

“The feedback received from participating companies was extremely positive and resonated with great pride because of the new contacts made and the interest shown for their products,” Sara says.

Resources were available in five different languages via an online help desk and resource centre.

 

“It is very important to us.”

For P.E.I. honey producer Island Gold Honey, the chance to make these new connections was invaluable. General manager Todd St. Clair says the ability for trade shows to pivot to an alternate format is important for the businesses that rely on them.

“It is very important to us. Typically, 50 per cent of our June to September sales are to tourists who come to P.E.I. Trade shows such as this may allow us to pivot and develop new markets for our products,” he says. 

Overall, Todd found the new online format worked well for his business. He says he developed some promising leads to follow up with because of the show.

“I liked the fact that each booth had a consistent appearance which put the smaller businesses on an even playing field with the larger ones,” he says.

Alain Bossé, better known as the Kilted Chef, hosts a cooking demo using Atlantic Canadian food products, including honey from P.E.I. producer Island Gold Honey.

 

A “completely new experience”

For most of the 240 attending buyers and trade commissioners, the virtual show was a completely new experience. Many were incredibly pleased with the virtual show, citing the ease of navigation and user interface.

“The website was easy to use. It was easy to download the information and the translation was useful. The chat function was very convenient, particularly that we were able to invite multiple people into the chat room,” says one Canadian trade commissioner to Korea. “About 19 Korean buyers logged in and I believe they had some good connections with our exporters.”

Other trade commissioners from the United States and Mexico echoed these sentiments, saying they appreciated the “variety of companies and upfront information on who would be exhibiting.”

“The reviews received from the buyers was positive with much recognition about how smooth and functional the experience was,” says Sara Robinson.

“They were grateful for the virtual production which allowed them to do their work […] in spite of being unable to travel to shows as they would normally spend much of their time doing.”

Another “new normal” – for a little while

With a positive first experience and much uncertainty still surrounding COVID-19, these virtual trade shows may be the new standard for the foreseeable time. With Food and Beverage Atlantic’s first attempt being a solid hit with both buyers and exhibitors, there is an opportunity to continue to improve the format. Given the opportunity, Todd St. Clair says Island Gold Honey “will certainly take part in future events.”

Overall, Sara Robinson is optimistic. Given the feedback from buyers and sellers alike, she’s happy with how Food and Beverage Atlantic adapted to find new solutions for businesses that rely on trade show exposure.

“This was an opportunity like never before,” she says.

 

Food and Beverage Atlantic will host its next virtual trade show on the topic of food automation on Aug. 26, 2020.