Macao Franchise Expo organizers say space left to grow

Secretary for Economy and Finance Lionel Leong tours an exhibition hall at the Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair

The Macao Franchise Expo 2019 came to a close yesterday, having attracted nearly 180 exhibitors in the retail, food and beverage, and consulting services sectors.

Now marking its 11th anniversary, organizers say that there is still room to grow and enhance the annual exhibition.

“In the future, we will continue to perfect this platform to create even more opportunities for franchises, investments and start-ups, as well as SME business transformation, while helping SMEs and entrepreneurs in Macau to innovate business models and improve their brand operations,” said Irene Lau, president of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute (IPIM), during the event’s opening ceremony.

“Let us work together to create more business opportunities,” she added.

In addition, Lau drew attention to the fact that the Macao Franchise Expo was recognized by the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry (UFI) as an “UFI Approved Event” last November.

It is the first franchising exhibition in the Greater China to receive this honor said Lau, and it serves as a sign of the event’s high degree of internationalism and professionalism.

This year, a consultation area was set up to provide advisory services on the regulations and related commercial affairs of the Greater Bay Area cities.

Meanwhile, more than 120 meetings were successfully held in the Business Matching Area, and IPIM organized five Macau purchasing agents to join in nearly 20 business matching sessions with enterprises from Congjiang of Guizhou Province.

The event continues to be held concurrently with the Guangdong & Macao Branded Products Fair. On the first day, 12 agreements relating to food, the purchasing of healthy beverages, brand agencies and strategic co-operations were signed at the Fair, according to organizers, with signatories hailing from Beijing, Shanghai, Zhuhai, Macau and Taiwan. DB