La Crème de la Crème Press & Chef Gathering

CNIEL is launching its first French cream campaign in Hong Kong, beginning with a gathering of journalists and pastry chefs! On the day, the representative of CNIEL will explain to you about the secret of French cream, followed by 3 fascinating cooking demonstration and an afternoon tea buffet!

If you are a journalist or a pastry/bakery chef, please join us for this special rendez-vous:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oXE-t8k9GwuQxiUkmOBIoSeC0SI925nL773ujm8OqEs/viewform

Apéritif à la française : 10 years anniversary!

In France, aperitif is the mellowest moment of the day. A delightful interlude between the day’s activity and a pleasurable meal. The aperitif is a lifestyle, a time for sharing and togetherness that unites people of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities. 

In Hong Kong Wine and Dine 2013, experience a new concept and take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the French lifestyle by enrolling in the link here! 

 « Apéritif à la française », a concept that offers a sensory experience to be lived and savoured! 

Food Culture Conference

The Inaugural Food Culture Conference, themed  

‘Quality and Food: a multifaceted perspective’

marks the great success of

Cross-exchange between Hong Kong & France

This 1^st edition of Food Culture Conference themed ‘Quality and Food: a multifaceted perspective’ organized by SOPEXA proves out to be a great success with more than 100 participants from professional institutions and F&B industry. Passionate, captivated audience shared around the topic “Quality and Food: a multifaceted perspective”, to promote food cultural exchange between France and Hong Kong.

With support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry, the conference took place on 8 January, 2013. Bringing together professors from both University of Tours – UNESCO Chair – and Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as professionals from the food and wine industry, the conference explored the differences and similarities in the two food cultures. 7 speakers plus 1 moderator and more than 100 attendees took part.

Jocelyne Fouassier, Communication Director of SOPEXA, and Pr. Sidney Cheung, anthropologist from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, introduced the theme, emphasizing the commonalities of each culture, enjoyment and conviviality being the foremost, together with a sense of cultural identity and tradition, tempered with local adaptability, as well as genuine concern for health and wellbeing.

Marc de Ferrière, in charge of the UNESCO chair ‘Protection and promotion of cultural food heritage’, moderated two discussions involving students from the CUHK, wine trade professionals or specialists of the food industry.

At the first, entitled the evolution of food and beverage quality, Isabelle Bianquis, professor of anthropology at Université François Rabelais in Tours, shared her in-depth knowledge of Mongolia’s traditions, where food and alcohol play a crucial convivial role in the society, whether it is by maintaining close relationships between people or by conveying identity through heritage. These notions are very common to both French and Mongolian traditions. Further on, Eric Kwok, one of Hong Kong’s most renowned wine experts, described the evolution of alcohol consumption in China and Hong Kong, from Cognac to Beaujolais Nouveau and the finest French wines. He stressed the importance of AOC and the ongoing quality that every member of the wine industry struggles to achieve. Finally, Sidney Cheung, took the opportunity to elaborate on the fact that, whilst wine and food produce is often traded as a luxury commodity for sometimes astronomically prices, it remains nonetheless, an agricultural product subject to the vagrancies of Nature.

At the second, entitled quality, process of exportation and local adaptation, Jean-Pierre Williot, director of the LÉA Alimentation Department in Tours, spoke of innovation and quality, added-value, adaptation to local markets and the existence of ‘a’ quality more than ‘the’ quality. Sylvie Vabre, specialist in the history of consumption and food industries, then focused on the long path that French cheese had to pursue to go from being ‘indigestible’ to a ‘cultural treasure’. She saw this in three major stages: achieving know-how, entering gastronomy and succeeding in being a farm product transformed by the food industry. Annabel Jackson, head of the HK Slow Food Convivium, shared her recent experience in Yunnan surrounded by what she describes as the purest air there is, in a countryside where farmers wonder what organic farming is as they can’t imagine any other way. She also described the fascinating interest for mushrooms of all kind, and the way inhabitants treasure them, from foraging to cooking. Finally, Peter Cuong Franklin, cooking instructor and chef of his own Vietnamese restaurant in Hong Kong, expressed his concerns on the difficulty of finding top quality ingredients suitable for traditional Vietnamese cuisine in Hong Kong and lack of variety due to the small size of the Vietnamese community. In conclusion, the key word was deemed to be: ‘adaptation’, whether it is to a new culture, new techniques or new ingredients.

APPENDIX I:  PROGRAMME

2:30-3:00 pm	Welcome speech Introduction from Sopexa Mr. Sidney Cheung, Anthropology Department CUHK
3:00-4:15 pm	1st Round table discussion: Evolution of food and beverage quality Moderator: Mr. Marc de Ferriere Speakers Ms. Isabelle Bianquis Mr. Eric Kwok Mr. Sidney Cheung
4:15-4:30 pm	Coffee Break
4:30-5:45 pm	2nd Round table discussion: Quality, process of exportation and local adaptation Moderator: Mr. Marc de Ferrière Speakers Mr. Jean-Pierre Williot Ms. Sylvie Vabre Ms. Annabel Jackson Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin
6:00-7:00 pm	Cocktail

APPENDIX II: SPEAKER PROFILE

 

l   Mr. Marc de Ferrière, Professor of Contemporary History (exceptional class) in University of Tours since 2004. In charge of the UNESCO chair "Protection and promotion of cultural food heritages", Also president of the European Food History and Culture Institute, as well as an elected member of the Scientist Council of the University François Rabelais of Tours since 2005. He moderated the debate over this Food Culture Conference.

l   Ms. Isabelle Bianquis, Lecturer of Ethnology at University of Strasbourg from 1994 to 2005

and since 2005 as professor of Anthropology at University François Rabelais of Tours, specializing

in Food Anthropology and Anthropology of Politics.

l   Mr. Jean-Pierre Williot, Director of Alimentation Department in Tours – LÉA, Vice President of Science Council of IEHCA, co-director of the collection of L’Europe Alimentaire, Editions Peter Lang and member of Science Council of AHICF. He discussed how innovations allowed importation of products through examples of Champagne Krug or Butter Echire.

l   Ms. Sylvie Vabre, from Toulouse University, MCF contemporary history. She is a specialist of Consumption History, Food Industries, Rural History and Industry of 14th century.  Her talk was   focused on how French cheese went from being indigestible to a cultural treasure.

l   Ms. Annabel Jackson, a food and wine expert and consultant, who is head of the Hong

Kong Slow Food Convivium and the author of Macau on a Plate (1994), Street Café Vietnam

(1999), World Food China (2003), Taste of Macau: Portuguese Cuisine on the China Coast (2004)

and Modern Indian Cooking (2004).

l   Mr. Eric Kwok, gained working experience from various settings in five-star hotels. He acted as the Chief Sommelier and Restaurant & Beverage Manager of the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong and the New World Hotel, Hong Kong in respectively. He founded the Merit Wine Boutique since 1997. He was also the wine trainer of elementary wine course for various hotels, members clubs, The Vocational Training Council (VTC) and The Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA). Invited as a juror of various international wine challenges, he has been a member of Hong Kong Sommelier Association since 1998.

l   Mr. Sidney Cheung, Professor and anthropologist, who has recently finished a

food-related knowledge transfer project on developing touristic resources within and for the

local neighborhood in Sheung Wan.

  

l   Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin, was born in Dalat (Vietnam) and educated in the US and Asia.

He was graduated from the prestigious Le Cordon Bleu with a Grand Diplôme

de Cuisine and Patisserie. He has trained and worked at some of the best restaurants

including Michelin starred Caprice in Hong Kong, Alinea and Next in Chicago, and La

Verticale and Madame Hien in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is currently a cooking instructor, consultant

chef and chef/owner of a Vietnamese restaurant in Hong Kong.

OUR SPONSORS

l   We thank Ô muse de Bordeaux for their kind participation through supplying precious sparkling and still water from Bordeaux (Arcachon source).

l   De Balman also offers our speakers with their delicious macarons.

Video of the conference is now available at YouTube: http://youtu.be/wJ4ApvSLBOU

Food Culture Conference

Cross-exchange between Hong Kong & France

"Quality and Food: a multifaceted perspective"

With the support of the French Ministry of Agriculture, SOPEXA is glad to invite you for an exceptional food culture conference – a privileged exchange between Hong Kong community and French food & beverage professionals.

Do not miss this Sino-French exchange experience, where you can discover more about the food & wine industry with professors from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Tours - UNESCO Chair, France, and other trade professionals.

Date: 8^th January 2013

Time: 2:30pm – 6:00pm

Venue: Room S421, HKCEC, Wanchai

RSVP before 3^rd January - limited seats available

CLICK HERE TO ENROLL

Speakers include professionals from France and Hong Kong:

Mr. Marc de Ferrière, Mr. Alain Clément, Ms. Isabelle Bianquis, Mr. Jean-Pierre Williot, Ms. Sylvie Vabre, Mr. Eric Kwok,  Mr. Sidney Cheung, Mr. Peter Cuong Franklin, and Ms. Annabel Jackson.

Programme

2:30pm – 3:00pm	Introduction and welcoming speech
3:00pm – 4:15pm	1st Round table discussion: Evolution of food and beverage quality
4:15pm – 4:30pm	Coffee Break
4:30pm – 5:45pm	2nd Round table discussion: Quality, process of exportation and local adaptation
6:00pm - 7:00pm	Cocktail

Enquiry: Ms. May Wong / may.wong@sopexa.com / +852 2866 7163

By invitation only

Bordeaux and Champagne Food Pairing Workshops in etc wine shops

13 Sep :: 6:30-8:30 p.m. :: bordeaux etc
4 Oct :: 6:30-8:30 :: champagne etc

Vous êtes prêts? French Moment is inviting you to our unique wine adventures at etc wine shops. Discover the magical world of Bordeaux and Champagne with the carefully selected references, pairing with tailor-made delicacies. The chief sommelier of etc wine shops, Mr. Mathieu Pouchan, will guide you through the aromas, palate and secret notes of each exquisite selection.

Let us stimulate your sensations with real Bordeaux and Champagne on these 2 special evenings. Santé!

Very limited seats available
Surprising Goodie Bags for our Guests 

Bordeaux wine & food pairing
Date: September 13th 2012 (Thu)
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Venue: bordeaux etc
G01 Leighton Centre,
77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay
Mark your agenda on Facebook 

Champagne & food pairing
Date: October 4th 2012 (Thu)
Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
Venue: champagne etc
G/F, 19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central
Mark your agenda on Facebook


Early Bird : HK$240  (31 Aug for Bordeaux / 21 Sep for Champagne)
Normal price : HK$280

Both events are exclusively opened for French Moment members Only
Each French Moment member can bring along 2 friends at maximum.

French Pavilion at Vinexpo Asia Pacific

29-31 May 2012 :: 9:30 am to 6:30 pm
VINEXPO Asia Pacific, HKCEC, Wanchai

We are proud to introduce 142 top French wine and spirits producers, exporters and regional wine councils in our pavilion in VINEXPO Asia-Pacific. 900 product references from 15 French regions will be represented: Alsace, Armagnac, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Cognac, Corsica, French West Indies, Jura – Savoie, Languedoc–Roussillon, Loire Valley, Provence, Rhône Valley and the South-West of France.  The 1000 square metered exhibition space should provide you with a good variety of the French wine and spirits to choose from.

Throughout the three-day exhibition, you can also learn and discover the best of France through wine talks, wine tastings and conferences about Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy and many other regions by local and international experts at the SOPEXA booth or at the VINEXPO Academy. 

Pre-register for admission or more information about the exhibition, please refer to :
expo.sopexa.com.hk

  

The SOPEXA team is looking forward to seeing you at our booth (AB 33-13), and wish you a fruitful, memorable, and enjoyable experience at the VINEXPO ASIA-PACIFIC 2012.

French Pavilion Exhibitor Directory

Sopexa wins pitch to promote Food Culture and French Products throughout the world

Press release
3 March 2012


The French Ministry of Agriculture has appointed Sopexa Group to handle its marketing account to promote Food Culture and French food produce throughout the world, following a competitive pitch.  The outsourced public services contract - or “Délégation de Service Public”, as it is known in France - is a five-year campaign due to start in 2013, and is worth an annual budget of 9 million Euros.  The account covers three main areas, including providing export solutions to businesses and industrial sectors in high potential markets, consolidating their position and profile in key markets and promoting French food and drinks culture by communicating on France’s brand image.


“The results achieved in 2011 were outstanding, thanks to which agriculture lies at the heart of France’s economic landscape.  And underlying these results is the exceptional contribution of industrials, food processors, producers and Sopexa Group. This represents years of hard work, rationalisation and support in export markets. I am delighted to confirm that Sopexa has won this public services contract to ensure the promotion of the French agri-foods throughout the world until 2017”, announced Bruno Le Maire, the French Minister of Agriculture, during a breakfast briefing organised by Sopexa and held at the end of last week at the International Agricultural Show (SIA), in Paris.


On the agency win, Cécile Bassot, Managing Director of Sopexa Group, commented: “We are extremely proud to have won the account.  This is a significant win for Sopexa, and officially recognises the expertise of our agencies and their passion to support France’s brand image. The 14.6% increase in France’s agri-food exports, and France’s position as world leader in wine exports, validates our strategy and the activities we implement”.


The marketing and communications agency group has worked on the account since 2008. The French Agricultural Minister’s decision to renew this outsourced public service contract endorses the quality and effectiveness of the proposal.  




Sopexa’s unique level of understanding of the agricultural sector, its market intelligence and ability to cross-fertilise French Food culture with local cultures in foreign markets make it the gold standard agency delivering international solutions in Food, Wine and Lifestyle. 


The Group, which counts 280 employees from 31 different nationalities, comprises a unique integrated network of 26 agencies throughout the world.  In September 2011, Sopexa launched agencies in Sao Paulo, Brazil and a further three in Wuhan, Chengdu and Xiamen in China, complementing those already established in Peking, Shanghai and Canton.
With privileged access to local decision making circuits in retail, hotel and restaurant channels, Sopexa consultants deliver a complete range of services: from strategic marketing consultancy to implementing actions above and below the line and at point of sale, targeting both industry professionals and consumers alike.


Facts and Figures 2011


1,856 businesses supported by Sopexa at 30 international fairs, via the French Pavilion concept.


26,000 consumers have taken part in the Aperitif a la francaise concept; a global event held in June, founded and orchestrated in 10 countries by Sopexa, involving the participation of 254 French businesses.


39 promotional weeks implemented in partnership with the leading international retail giants, including Tesco, Aeon, Corte Inglés, Delhaize, Carrefour, Auchan and Whole Foods, across 20 countries.


50 conferences, training initiatives and competitions - such as Best French Wines Sommelier, attracting 300 candidates and recognising 8 winners in South Korea last year – promote French culinary culture throughout the world.


A pioneering force in promoting French produce abroad, Sopexa has secured a network of professionals - known as The Digital Factory - specializing in digital communications.
It is also responsible for the official portal site for French agri-food exporters: www.franceAgroalimentaire.com (www.frenchfoodandbeverages.com).


Sopexa is the alliance of experience and cutting edge techniques.