The First Macao Franchise Expo (MFE) was solemny inaugurated at 11:00 a.m. today (July 3), at the Macao Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre, with the participation of ninety franchisers, chain stores operators and brand agents from Macao, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Brazil and other countries, thus establishing a solid foundation for Macau to further promote the development of franchise exhibition. The opening ceremony was presided over by the Secretary for Economy and Finance of Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Francis Tam Pak Yuen, Head of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao Special Administrative Region, Mr. Zhou Zhi Kui, Deputy Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Macao SAR, Mr. Son Yanbin, President of Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Dr. Lee Peng Hong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Macao Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Hui Sai Un, Representative of the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, Mr. He Yong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Brazilian Franchising Association, M. Ricardo Camargo, Deputy Director of Macao Economic Services Bureau, Mr. Tai Kin Yip, Deputy Director of Macao Government Tourist Office, Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan, Mr. Yu Zhenglong and the President of Licensing & Franchising Association of Hong Kong, Mr. Li Wai Sang. A large number representatives of local and overseas exhibitors also participated in the event. At the opening ceremony, Dr. Lee Peng Hong, President of IPIM, said that “MFE will serve as a platform for the international franchisers, brand name operators and chain enterprises to develop their business in Macao and to find cooperation partners in their respective fields. At the same time, local and small and medium-sized enterprises can grasp this opportunity to diversify and innovate through this new business cooperation pattern. We hope that the PMEs will create a new busines chapter through franchising, chain store operations and brand agency”. After the inauguration ceremony, the guests visited the exhibition and seminar venues to obtain an in-depth knowledge of the Expo and received enthusiastic feedback from the the exhibitors. DIVERSIFIED CONTENT ATTRACTS CORPORATE VISITORS The venue of the Macao Franchise Expo is at the 2nd Floor of Macao Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre. This is a grand event with the active participation of several types of business activities, including cake shop, fried chicken shop, tea shop, coffee shop, dining, souvenirs, decorative lighting, ready-to-wear, hotel and cosmetics. Visitors are from all walks of life, including representatives from small and medium-sized enterprises, local residents and tourists. One of the visitors, a Mr. Lau, from Macao, said that he had visited on many occasions similar exhibitions organized by the government and that although the MFE’s scale is smaller than that of the Macao International Fair (MIF), he thought that concept of the MFE is good, as it will lead to the development of business activities for the local enterprises and create business opportunities for the pioneering entrepreneurs. An exhibitor from Malaysia said that he hope to find suitable business partners, such as agents and franchisors, and added that this brand promotion activity will get the atraction of the local enterprises. He said that he was optimistic about the local market and intends to develop his business in Macao, using the MFE as a stepping stone. The person in charge of Charmy Food Co., Ltd. “Snow Ice”, of Taiwan, Mr. Fan Rongnan, said that the successful organization of the MFE clearly proves that the government has the intention to assist the SMEs to develop their own business, as the MFE will focus to the local SMEs the successful experience from abroad and will have a positive effect. At the same time, the MFE will bring about the expansion of the business sectors and consequently enhances employment opportunity. FORUMS AND PROMOTION SEMINARS ON FRANCHISING TRENDS To promote the development of franchising, the Organizers have organized a “Branding and Franchising Seminar on Franchising Trends”, where Professor Wang Dadong of Zhuhai Campus of Beijing Normal University, Mr. Yu Cheng-lung, Vice-Chairman of Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan, Ms. Margaret Wong, founder of Café e Nata Margaret’s, and Mr. Fang Rongnan, General Manager of Charmy Food Co., Ltd., of Taiwan, talked about the latest trends in franchising and shared their opinion with the audience. Simultaneously, from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m., three professional products and service promotion seminars were held, namely: “Choose Hanting – Choose Success”, “Brief Introduction of Wufangzhai Industry’s Franchise Projects” and “Franchising with Small Capital”, in which the exhibitors promoted their own products or services and provided further information to the interested parties. EIGHT COOPERATIONS REACHED ON THE FIRST DAY Altogether, eight contracts, letters of intention and agreements were signed on the first day. In addition, over three hundred business matching sessions were held. Respective signing ceremony took place in the afternoon, witnessed by Dr. Lee Peng Hong, President of IPIM, Dr. Echo Chan, Executive Director of IPIM, Mr. U Kin Cho, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Macao Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Yu Cheng-Lung, Vice-Chairman of Association of Chain and Franchise Promotion, Taiwan. The cooperation agreements signed involved the franchising of Korea’s “Instory” fashionable ladies’ clothes in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, franchising of environmental protection and energy conservation products in the Portuguese-speaking countries, Southeast Asian countries and Macao, general agent in Macao for Hua Yi LED and lighting; Macao agent for ZFE, Zhenhui and Zelda brands fire equipment, Macao agent for Paradise brand Mango Rum, from the Philippines, promotion, sale and agent in Macao and Guangdong Province for Tianchi Mineral Water; letter of intent in the co-organization of the “Macau Decorative Lighting Carnival”, cooperation agreement for agent in Guangdong, Shanghai and Shenyang, China, for “Olá” products. Macao Franchise Expo will close on July 4. MFE, located at the 2nd floor of Macao Tower Convention & Entertainment Centre, will be opened to the public from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. tomorrow, with six products and services promotion seminars on franchising in the ready-to-wear, foodstuff and hot pot shop business. At 3:30 p.m. there will be another signing ceremony, where local and foreign small and medium-sized enterpreneurs, local residents are welcome. For further details, please visit the official site: www.macaomfe.mo.
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