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C&I EXPO 2023
C&I EXPO 2023: A ROARING SUCCESS
The 2023 C&I Expo and Symposium lived up to expectations, with 121 exhibitors taking part and hundreds more guests looking to wheel, deal, and network.
THE 2023 C&I EXPO has beaten all previous shows to be the largest event held in Sydney in the event’s history.
Over two days on 19-20 October, hundreds upon hundreds of visitors took to the halls of ICC Sydney to discover new products, meet suppliers, and make new and valuable connections.
Safa de Valois, Group Publisher of C&I Media, said that with over 121 exhibitors on display the show floor was constantly buzzing with conversation.
“The show was only open for a couple of hours, and I had already the feedback from several exhibitors that event was excellent and our best ever. We had retailers who travelled from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and of course New Zealand, as well as right across Australia, looking for new products and insights. There were lots of quality buyers around with strong representation from both fuel and non-fuel retailers.”
Lisa Reid from Sodexo said the Expo provided a good chance to connect and understand each other’s business and unlock further opportunities to grow.
“The C&I Expo is a great opportunity to connect with businesses – you might know the brand, but you might not know the people who can take it from a transactional relationship more into a partnership level.
“We have come to look at new products and our goal is to come away from the show with a couple of nuggets and opportunities that we hadn’t thought of before. There are certainly a couple of new products that we will range in our business because of being here at the show.”
We had retailers who travelled from Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and of course New Zealand, as well as right across Australia, looking for new products and insights.
– Safa de Valois, Group Publisher, C&I Media
Wayne Miller from U-Haul Australia said that over the course of the Expo they have seen everyone from the corporates, right through to the single-site operators.
“We have exhibited at the C&I Expo for the last 10 years and it is the place to be to capture all of the buyers in one spot, so for us it is a one-stop shop.”
A sold-out symposium
Each morning before the Expo, the sold-out C&I Symposium offered attendees sessions filled with insights and data, future trends, and innovations relating to the P&C industry.
Opened each day by Safa de Valois and emceed by Matt Dodson, General Manager of OOH at Patties Foods, the first day commenced with Theo Foukkare, CEO of the Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS), reviewing the recent AACS International Study Tour and sharing the latest trends and developments in European convenience.
Foukkare then participated in a panel discussion with Lou Jardin, Managing Director of SPAR Australia, Joanna Graham, Senior Manager of Convenience Trading ANZ at bp, and Michael Brick, Partner and Managing Director of Meris Food Equipment.
The panel discussed future-proofing convenience retail and the pain points facing store owners in the face of relentless evolution, as well as how retailers can adopt and implement new technologies most effectively.
Jardin then presented insights and learnings from his decades of experience working in the retail environment and how so much has changed, but at the same time, the fundamentals remain the same.
Finally, keynote speaker Tushar Menon, CoFounder and CEO of My Muscle Chef, shared the story of the brand’s evolution from a Potts Point kitchen to today’s $200 million per year healthy food empire.
Menon shared 10 key lessons he’s learned in the 10 years of growing his business, from mistakes he’s made, lessons he’s learned, and advice he would give to anyone starting up a new business.
The second day’s symposium saw Fred Harrison, CEO of Ritchies, Bonnie McCoy, General Manager of Customology, and Adam Jacka, Brand, Communications, and Loyalty at 7-Eleven provide insights and data, future trends, and innovations in the P&C industry.
The keynote speaker for the day was Jack Beaumont, a French spy turned author and CEO, who shared his experiences from his extraordinarily dangerous life with France’s secret service. Beaumont touched on themes such as courage, resilience, and leadership, with everyone in attendance receiving a copy of his book The Frenchman.
The $50,000 pallet winner
Tariq Kufoof from QuikStop Minimart & Cafe Bondi Junction was the lucky winner of the pallet giveaway at the 2023 C&I Expo in Sydney last week.
Kufoof said the store will gladly receive the stock from the prize that is also likely to be used across the remainder of the multi-site operator’s buinesses.
“We only just opened the store in September 2023 located at Bondi Junction Railway Station. It is a mixed business between a convenience store and cafe and providing customer with a one stop shop with all grab and go products as well as beverages and confectionery.
“As a cafe we open at 5am in the morning, serving customers with barista coffee and breakfasts and we are also open late until the last train at the station – until 11.30pm during weekdays and 1.30am on weekends.
“We also have a series of convenience and newsagency stores that we call QuikStop Minimart & News at Liverpool Hospital, Campbelltown Hospital, Maroubra Beach as well as two stores in Queensland at Gold Coast University Hospital and Burleigh Heads.
“We are looking to open another five sites in the next two months before Christmas. The locations will be two stores in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, one in Manly on the Northern Beaches and two in Queensland – one in Southport and one in Surfers Paradise.
“As a small business owner, winning this prize means a lot to me as it will help support my business. Winning that much stock is a very good start and I would love to thank everyone who organised this event including Safa de Valois.”
