São Paulo – Middle Eastern and North African exporters exhibiting at Apas Show, the trade show of the São Paulo Supermarkets Association (Apas) set to end this Friday (5), got in touch with 100-plus people during the event. Working out of a stand organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, they showcased their product to importers from Brazil and from across Latin America.
“Most visitors at our stands were from Venezuela, Uruguay, Argentina and the Dominican Republic,” said Morocco’s Heuda Guessous, the Sales and Marketing manager with export-import company Sicopa. She represents the brands Le Pepper Red and Alia, and she is looking to export items including pepper sauces, caperberries and olives.
“I got in touch with several potential clients. They already buy from several different places (across South America), because the Mercosur gives them many privileges that Morocco doesn’t, but some products they will only find with us,” the executive said.
Guessous and other Arab exhibitors attended a meeting this Friday morning in the new Arab Brazilian Chamber headquarters. The Chamber’s stand at the Apas Show featured exhibitors from Morocco, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Egypt.
“Turnover at the stand was great,” said Chamber president Rubens Hannun. He noted that the organization has been joining the trade show for a few years now, and that it’s constantly working to improve its participation in the event.
“This presence of yours is part of our planning with Arab countries to increase trade flows between those countries and Brazil. The Arab Chamber remains at your disposal so that next year your participation will be even better,” he said.
“The Apas Show is a very important event. We had many business meetings, and each day we realize that great opportunities are available for Moroccan products in Brazil. There is no doubt in my mind that we’ll be here next year,” said Mehdi Larhrib, the director of Morocco’s Food Exports Control and Coordination Organization (EACCE), who was also the head of the Moroccan delegation for the trade show.
Egypt’s Waleed Khoshala came to Brazil to take part in the Buyer Project of the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex-Brasil). His company, Aigle International Trading, deals in fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, as well as olive oil.
“I decided to come in order to study the market and the people’s consumption habits. I want to look at the market to figure out how it works. I hope to be here as an exhibitor next year,” he said.
In 2016, Brazil imported USD 10 billion worth of food products. Arab countries were the source of USD 81 million, or 0.76% of total imports.
Morocco is Brazil’s leading Arab supplier, followed by Oman, Egypt and Tunisia. The top-selling items to Brazil were frozen sardines and olives.
Also attending the meeting with the exporters were the Arab Chamber’s CEO Michel Alaby, International Relations vice president Osmar Chohfi, and board member William Atui.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum