Organisers of the annual Food Expo on Wednesday said they hope to attract half a million visitors, aiming to match last year's attendance.

The five-day event, organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, will begin on August 14 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

Alongside the expo, four other fairs, including the Home Delights Expo and Beauty and Wellness Expo, will showcase around 1,890 exhibitors from 35 countries and regions. The Hong Kong International Tea Fair will also be fully open to the public for the first time.

Sophia Chong, Deputy Executive Director of the Trade Development Council, expressed hope that extreme weather won’t disrupt the event.

"This summer, the weather is very unpredictable, so we don't know what the weather conditions will be," Chong said.

"If we're lucky enough to have good weather conditions, I hope we can open up the expo on all five days and achieve a high attendance record like previous years."

New this year, the Food Expo will feature a food science and technology zone, with offerings such as soft-textured mooncakes and cognitive health supplements tailored for senior citizens. There will also be a seminar on additive-free foods.

More than 120 exhibitors will showcase halal products, including the popular Indonesian noodle brand, Indomie.

"Our product is a halal product, so it's also suitable for a lot of people," Indomie representative Kay Tang said.

"We now have a new product launched, which is the Korean noodles. In the expo, we hope that we can introduce this product to the market, and later on this product will be available in supermarkets and convenience stores."

Food demonstrations by 10 chefs will take place, and vendors will offer exclusive bundles, lucky draws, and HK$1 deals.

On the first day, the first nine visitors can participate in a game organised by exhibitor On Kee, with the winner taking home 60 free boxes of abalone.

Tickets for the expo cost HK$30 for residents and HK$20 for tourists.