IFEX Philippines, the country's long-running and biggest export-oriented food show, is back on the trade show floor at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City from 22 to 24 September 2022.

With the theme "Discover your love affair with Filipino Flavors," the event is set to offer international food importers, buyers, and aficionados a multi-sensory food experience which has been missed by many at the height of the pandemic.

IFEX Philippines is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry.

"This is the first time that IFEX Philippines is going to be back on site since the pandemic in 2020. We look forward to welcoming our participants, especially buyers and guests, and for them to see and taste firsthand what the Philippines has to offer in terms of food exports," said CITEM deputy executive director Ma. Lourdes D. Mediran.

Built on the Filipino concept of a "love affair," IFEX Philippines 2022 seeks to "pursue and enthrall" participants and guests by capitalizing on the practice of panliligaw or local courtship traditions.

"Love affair is the heart of Filipino food. We're tapping into local culture to evoke a sense of discovery and romance in creating a unique Filipino food experience. Through IFEX Philippines, we want to highlight the reasons why Filipino flavors stand out in the world and why the Philippines is a premier destination for food products and ingredients," Mediran said.

Expected to join the expo are more than 300 companies and enterprises all over the Philippines from the following sectors: beverages; fine food and specialties; fruits and vegetables; biscuits and confectioneries; snacks and crispy savory food products; meat and poultry; dairy products; cereals, grains, and starch; seafood and marine products; organic and natural; raw materials and food ingredients; and allied services.

IFEX Philippines 2022 will have multiple trade components including exhibitions, business matching activities, seminars and talks, and special events.

The event will also feature a thematic showcase of distinct Philippine food and ingredients, dynamic cooking demonstrations, and product presentations. These on-site activities will be complemented by digital components such as virtual business-to-business meetings and online streaming for special events.