São Paulo – Exhibitors from four Arab countries are participating in supermarket industry fair Apas, which opened this Monday (5th) in São Paulo. They represent ten companies based in Lebanon, Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia. The executives are attending at the invitation of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, which has organized a 60-metre square stand. The products they have brought to showcase include potatoes, olive oil, dates, olives and spices.
According to the chairman of the Egyptian-based Elmokkadem Co. for Export and Import, Mohamed El Mokkadem, the enterprise decided to take part in Apas because Brazil boasts a large buying market. “We are already familiar with the markets in North America and Argentina, but not Brazil. We are excited with the prospect of selling to the country, since it has a vast consumer base,” he said. The company’s goal is to ship dates and potato-based snacks to Brazil. “If we can get a competitive price, we are shipping our product here,” he said.
The chairman of Algeria’s National Interprofessional Potato Industry Council, Bachir Seraoui, said he is in Brazil representing potato growers, and that the organization he represents is looking to enter into partnerships in the country.
"We have over 120 varieties of potato, and we can export to Brazil the types that appeal to local importers the most. We are also willing to establish partnerships, primarily for potato processing and crop storage,” said Seraoui.
On the radar
The Tunisian olive oil manufacturing company Al Jazira is participating in the fair at a separate stand from that of the Arab Chamber’s. According to executive manager Mokhtar Ben Achour, Al Jazira has been lured by the Brazilian market size, and is attending Apas in order to meet the clients and see the market.
“Brazil has a very large consumer market. I am here to get to know the market better, to meet the retailers, introduce my brand, and to understand how the distribution chain and the pricing work in Brazil. Olive oil consumption in Brazil is on the rise,” he stated.
The Arab Chamber market intelligence director Suelma dos Santos said this is the organization’s first time with a stand at the fair, and noted that enterprises were keenly interested in participating. “Apas is the leading food retail fair. It is a major opportunity for letting the supermarket industry know what the Arabs have to offer,” she said. The Chamber is attending again in 2015.
Service
30th Apas
Expo CenterNorte –José Bernardo Pinto Street, 333, Vila Guilherme, São Paulo -SP
May 6th and 7th from 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and May 8th from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Information: http://www.feiraapas.com.br/
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
