FOODIES and gadget-lovers alike streamed through the doors at the first Food Safari and Home Electronics Fair on Friday morning after it was officially opened by Minister of State for Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan.

The consumer show at Suntec City Convention Centre features nearly 100 stalls selling food and electronics over 8,000 sq m. It is the first event by Singapore Press Holdings subsidiary Sphere.

By the time doors opened at 11am, a queue of 50 visitors had already formed. At its head was Mr Ramesh Nanwani, 54, who had got there by 8.45am to ensure he would not miss out on some of the special offers on electronic goods.

'I'm here to see if I can pick up anything, in particular Samsung products', said the businessman.

Some stalls are promising up to 90 per cent discount for some small appliances, and a 60 per cent discount on some LCD TV sets.

Within the fair's first hour, hungry office-workers and families were thronging the food section, which boasts both local food and exotic nibbles from 15 countries, such as African chapatis, Korean ginseng wine, and Spanish Pata Negro ham, which is a type of cured meat made from black-hoofed pigs.

At the bar area, servers were seen mixing up Singapore Slings and readying $5 cups of Tiger beer for visitors hoping to grab a lunchtime tipple.

The show, which is expected to draw 100,000 visitors, is open from 11 am to 10 pm from Friday to Sunday.

Admission is free of charge.