MEDIA RELEASE

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO FINE FOOD ON THE INCREASE OR

WORLD INTEREST IN FINE FOOD AUSTRALIA GROWS

Melbourne 30^th May. 2008: International food buyers are set to converge on Melbourne in September to attend Australia's biggest exhibition for the food industry, Fine Food, according to leading exhibition organiser Diversified Exhibitions Australia.

Fine Food is Australia's only truly international trade show for the food industry. "We have worked very hard for over two decades to build the show to the stage where it commands international respect from both buyers and sellers," said Exhibition Manager, Minnie Constan, "and we will continue to do so."

This year the event will occupy the whole of the Melbourne Exhibition Centre with over 200 exhibitors from 20 countries joining 800 Australian companies to form a massive display of all that is new and exciting in the world of food. For the first time   Wine & Spirits, Australia's largest trade exhibition for alcoholic beverages, will be in the main body of the show enabling visitors to see and sample everything imaginable in fine liquor. Fine Food and Wine & Spirits will represent the perfect degustation menu for an estimated 28,000 buyers from the retail and foodservice industries.

Australia has a worldwide reputation for producing high quality premium food, and with food exports growing every year it is no wonder that the number of international visitors to Fine Food is also increasing.

Last year 1,782 buyers from 59 countries, including 300 as part of official missions hosted by Austrade, wrote over $20 million in export orders at Fine Food in Sydney and that was just the value of deals actually concluded at the show.

Austrade has identified significant opportunities for Australian food producers and suppliers into China, India and Russia with their large populations but other destinations have also grown in importance. Australian companies have benefited from the capacity to supply high quality food products not only to relatively close Pacific rim markets but also to more distant markets such as the UK and Saudi Arabia.

Buyers from these countries will be able to discover the clean and green products for which Australia is recognised but the increasing westernisation of some of our Asian neighbours presents opportunities that go beyond the obvious and include equipment, marketing, technology, packaged goods and, of course, wine and spirits.

"We extend a welcome to any professional in the food industry of any country to make the trip down-under, as it will certainly be worth their while, based on previous shows," said Ms Constan.

To assist these international buyers Fine Food Australia has a very successful partnership with Austrade in bringing significant numbers of official missions to the show. We have introduced initiatives to ensure that the international buyers can meet with Australian exporters away from the bustle of the show floor. The Overseas Visitor Lounge is staffed by Austrade experts who can assist in the intricacies of exporting for the first time and/or to a new market. There are a number of exclusive networking functions for buyers and sellers including an official government cocktail function in conjunction with the Victorian State Government.

What:                  Fine Food Australia

Where:               Melbourne Exhibition & Convention Centre, Southbank

When:                 Monday 22^nd to Thursday 25^th September 2008

Time:                  10am - 5pm Monday, Wednesday and Thursday

                            12noon - 9pm Tuesday
Admission:        $30 Trade ONLY

(Entry is restricted to members of the retail, hospitality and foodservice industries. Persons not in this category including children will not be admitted. Trade visitors are encouraged to pre register on http://www.finefoodexpo.com.au/ prior to the show to avoid queues at the entrance.)

For further information: http://www.finefoodexpo.com.au

Media contact for passes or further information:

Rob Hiddlestone, BOSCOMM Pty Ltd
Tel: 03 9551 6386  E: rob@boscomm.com.au