Increase in the number of exhibitors and visitors
CBB enhances its character as the leading trade fair in Asia
The industry discusses the key issues of sustainability and digitalization

One of the major trends in Asia’s beverage and liquid food market is: “quality, not quantity.” As incomes rise, people prefer to consume better products instead of more products. At the same time, demand for production systems and machines remains high. As the leading trade fair for the industry, CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB) provided a far-reaching overview of the market with the exhibitors’ presentations and its comprehensive supporting program. The CBB showed what is driving the industry today and will drive it tomorrow. In the process, it underscored its position in Asia.

Dr. Reinhard Pfeiffer, Deputy CEO of Messe München, is extremely satisfied
with the results of CBB: “We are following up on the successes of the last event:
We had a total of 869 exhibitors, an increase of nine percent. The trade fair used
eight halls, including two that were used by 256 international exhibitors. That
represents a growth rate of six percent. CBB is thus enhancing its importance as
the leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry in the Asia-Pacific
region.” The chief executives of international market leaders praised the large
number of visitors from such Asian countries as Indonesia, Myanmar, the
Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam who visited their stands.
Hong Shen, General Manager at Zhongqing Heli International Exhibition Co.,
Ltd., organizer of CBB, highlights the event’s added value: “CBB is the only trade
fair in Asia that showcases the entire process chain for all areas of the beverage
and liquid food industry and presents new generations of machines. This was
also acknowledged by the approximately 56,000 participants in the eight fully
booked halls.”
Richard Clemens, Managing Director of the VDMA Food Processing and
Packaging Machinery Association, believes CBB is crucial for international
companies to successfully gain a foothold in the Chinese market. “Closeness to
customers is vital for developing and implementing tailored solutions, as well as
for providing ideal after-sales service. CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE is the
most important trade fair – not only in China, but for Southeast Asia as a whole,”
is Clemens’ assessment.
CBB Forum with the key issues of sustainability and digitalization
The beverage industry is undergoing a shake-up in the wake of digitalization.
The CBB Forum’s program included a presentation by Professor Sylvain
Charlebois from Dalhousie University, Halifax, on how blockchain technologies
“can help many companies protect their brand equity.” Use of the technology in
the beverage industry is still at the beginning, but he recommends “companies
should see that as an opportunity and address the issue early on.” In the view of
the VDMA, Chinese consumers in particular are very open to digital solutions.
That also harbors potential for companies from the beverage industry. That is
because “customized premium products that can be configured and ordered
online have far greater growth potential than in Europe,” says Clemens.
The industry also discussed the issue of sustainability intensively. For example,
Professor William Chen, from the School of Chemical and Biomedical
Engineering and Director of the NTU Food Science & Technology Program at
Nanyang Technological University, believes that sustainable beer brewing offers
advantages for companies and consumers alike: “Sustainable brewing
processes and upcycling of waste and by-products, such as to make
biodegradable packaging, deliver enormous benefit for the industry. At the end of
the day, that might also be reflected in lower product prices for consumers,”
states the scientist.
Visitors and exhibitors were inspired by the CBB Forum and the wealth of
information. CBB plays a major role in helping information be shared within the
industry and enables an extensive overview of the beverage and liquid food
market.
Successful premiere for the Round Table Talks
Apart from sustainability and digitalization, the future of the PET segment was
also a hotly debated topic. The newly introduced Round Table Talks gave
visitors the chance to learn more about this and other issues in the beer and
beverage market. What are key concerns in the industry now and in the future?
Industry experts from companies such as AB InBev, Snow, Suntyech Process
Engineering, Tsingtao and Voss (Hubei) Water & Beverage provided insights.
The other items on the agenda, such as the International Beer Smart Factory &
Brewing Technology Forum or the Exhibitor Technology Seminar, were also very
popular among visitors.

CBB in figures
More than 56,000 participants came to Shanghai to attend CBB – an increase of
six percent over the last trade fair (2016: 53,183).
A total of 869 exhibitors showcased their products and innovations. This
represents an increase of nine percent compared with 2016. The exhibitors
occupied a gross exhibition area of 92,000 square meters.
The next CBB will be held in October 2020 at the Shanghai New International
Exhibition Centre (SNIEC).

More information about the trade fair is available at www.cbb.drinktec.com

About CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE
CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB) is the leading trade fair for the beverage and liquid food
industry in Asia. Exhibitors present offerings from the areas of processing, packaging, bottling,
logistics and raw materials. Beijing Zhongqing Heli International Exhibition Co., Ltd. is the
organizer of CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE. Messe München has been co-organizing the
event since 2011. In this function it serves, together with the subsidiary MM Shanghai, as the
contact and contractual partner for all international exhibitors.
The trade fair takes place every two years at the Shanghai New International Exhibition Centre.
CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE 2018 attracted around 56,000 participants who learned about
the latest technologies and solutions from 869 exhibitors. The next trade fair will take place in
October 2020.

About drinktec worldwide
drinktec worldwide represents a strong global network that unites drinktec – the world’s leading
trade fair for the beverage and liquid food industry in Munich – with the drink technology India (dti),
CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE (CBB) and food & drink technology Africa (fdt) trade fairs. drink
technology India, CHINA BREW CHINA BEVERAGE and the food & drink technology Africa are
the leading platforms for the industry in their respective countries. The trade fairs in China
(Shanghai) and Africa (Johannesburg) take place every two years. In India the event takes place in
Mumbai in even-numbered years. In odd-numbered years the event takes place twice a year: in
Bangalore in the spring, in New Delhi in autumn.
With a total of 2,847 exhibitors and more than 140,000 visitors in Munich, India, China and Africa,
Messe München is the world’s leading event organizer for the beverage, food, packaging, milk and
liquid food industry.

Messe München
Messe München is one of the leading exhibition organizers worldwide with more than 50 of its own
trade shows for capital goods, consumer goods and new technologies. Every year, a total of over
50,000 exhibitors and around three million visitors take part in more than 200 events at the
exhibition center in Munich, at the ICM – Internationales Congress Center München and the MOC
Veranstaltungscenter München as well as abroad. Together with its subsidiary companies, Messe
München organizes trade shows in China, India, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, South Africa, Nigeria,
Vietnam and Iran. With a network of associated companies in Europe, Asia, Africa and South
America as well as around 70 representations abroad for over 100 countries, Messe München has
a global presence.