Netting success: Inside our global trade show story
This blog has information on:
- Planning and design
- Curation of culinary delights
- Casting the net: exhibitor recruitment and signposting
- Logistical precision
- Networking and diplomacy
- Hauling the catch: on the ground resources
- Recording the catch: feedback is key
- Upcoming trade shows
We had a busy 2023:
We facilitated UK pavilions at four international seafood shows. Where we offered UK exporters 406sqm of exhibition space. With 43 dedicated exhibition spaces occupied. And we served over 3,000 UK seafood dishes to the international audience.
There is a cast of dedicated players who all work tirelessly to pull these pavilions together.
In this blog I hope to lift the curtain on the magic that delivers our extraordinary UK seafood showcases!
The first half of 2024 will see Seafish co-host a UK pavilion at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, Massachusetts (10-12 March) and Seafood Expo Global in Barcelona (23-25 April).
Some of the UK pavilions we facilitate feature dedicated exhibition booths (SEG Barcelona); some of our them feature branded podiums (SENA Boston). Nevertheless, all of our pavilions feature a communal meeting space for all UK seafood businesses to use and a live kitchen.
One of the pivotal aspects of all our UK pavilions is ensuring they accurately reflect the UK’s rich and diverse seafood industry, whilst also capturing its cultural essence.
We work closely with our funding and delivery partners; Defra, GREAT, and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to plan the aesthetics of the pavilion.
From agreeing which images to use, to word-smithing the information panels, we begin the meticulous planning process with our partners months before the expo takes place!
The UK pavilion kitchen team curates dishes which authentically represent the UK species and products being promoted by the exhibitors, with culinary planning beginning three months before a show.
The chefs’ engaging personalities alongside the delicious food draws quite a crowd to the pavilion!
The chefs and our exhibition support provider, E2 Partnership Ltd, work closely to ensure the kitchen is furnished with all the appliances, pans, cutlery and ingredients required to produce their fine seafood dishes.
Once the chefs confirm their recipes for the show, we then co-ordinate the donation and delivery of seafood samples from the exhibitors to the expo venue.
It’s a tense time, ensuring the right quantity, quality, and timing of the deliveries.
The success of our pavilions hinge on the active participation of UK seafood businesses. We need to make sure the UK seafood industry knows about the pavilions.
We work with our communications team to showcase the huge benefits these trade shows can have for UK seafood businesses.
We have been delighted to welcome first-time exhibitors at every show we have hosted.
But you don’t have to take our word for it…
The exhibitor recruitment process for each show starts with the publication of an Expression of Interest (EoI) form (for example: UK Pavilion at Seafood Expo Global 2024).
This usually goes live five months before a show. The EoI is then shared widely on social media platforms, in our newsletters, as well as via 1:1 communication.
We assess and score each applicant against a basic set of criteria agreed between the funding partners. Once exhibitors have accepted the offer, E2 takes the helm and guides the exhibitors through the rest of their journey to the show.
The logistics of setting up a national pavilion are a time consuming and intricate puzzle which can start up to 11 months before show day.
In the first stage, E2 works with us to agree the space allocation with the expo organiser. From there, we work with E2 and the funding partners to agree the layout and feel of the pavilion which E2 goes on to construct.
The complexity of getting a pavilion into an overseas market should not be underestimated. Not least, furnishing it with chilled fish display units and live lobster tanks! E2 manage the whole process, co-ordinating customs officials, and transport carriers.
Equally complex is liaising with the venue representatives to arrange the delivery of the materials and agreeing whether the skilled E2 technicians or local labour (or a combination of both) will construct the pavilion.
This entire process is a monumental task, difficult to navigate, and requires a lot of resilience and specialist experience – we’re very glad to have E2 take care of this for us.
Building on the reputation of UK seafood at each show goes beyond the pavilion.
Through associated activity, such as networking events, meet-the-buyer sessions, seafood receptions, and site-visits, we aim to build relationships, provide opportunities, and foster collaboration.
We work hand in hand with our funding partners to ensure that our pavilions at every show have the biggest impact possible.
It’s show day! The success of the UK pavilion at any expo relies heavily on effective resource allocation.
Seafish, Defra, GREAT, and DBT colleagues are brought together to provide attending businesses with a wealth of expertise.
Members of the Seafish Board and Executive teams regularly attend the shows, demonstrating the importance of international trade to the organisation’s vision.
There’s a lot of work to do on show days, from co-ordinating planned activities, to ensuring pavilion users have the facilities they need, to fielding passing enquiries about the UK seafood industry and introducing potential buyers to exhibitors.
We have a robust follow-up strategy to nurture the relationships established during each expo and to gather direct feedback from exhibitors and visitors alike.
All feedback gathered helps to shape our offering at future international seafood shows and ensures the facilities and activities continue to meet the needs of UK seafood exporters.
There’s usually another trade show following in another’s wake; as one expo door closes, another one opens! Did somebody mention painting the Forth Rail Bridge?
To find out more about upcoming international trade shows in Boston and Barcelona, click the links below: