São Paulo – Arab businessmen who are participating in the Apas supermarket fair, in São Paulo, want more than importing food from Brazil. Kuwaiti group The Sultan Center (TSC), for example, is seeking franchises of barbecue restaurants, whereas Bahraini group Al Daaysi wants to take Brazilian coffee shops to his country. "I am here to close great deals," said the international public relations director at TSC, Mohammed Al-Yasin.
The group, which has over 15 supermarkets in Kuwait, Oman, Jordan and Lebanon, also operates in the restaurant, telecommunications, real estate, energy generation, petrochemical, trading, fashion, hotel and buffet service sectors. According to Yasin, the idea is to take a famous Brazilian barbecue chain to Kuwait. "We have not yet managed to make contact," said the executive, who has already taken franchises of North American and Arab restaurants to Kuwait and other countries in the Gulf.
Visiting Brazil for the first time, Yasin is impressed with the diversity of the Brazilian market. "I also want to learn about the textile and solar energy sectors," said the director, who is considering extending his trip. "Brazil has a fascinating market, wonderful. The size of the market and of the products offered is impressive," he added.
According to Yasin, TSC already imports beef and chicken from Brazil, but through local distributors, so one of the main reasons behind the trip is to find companies that may sell directly to the group. The company is interested in importing over 10 containers of chicken per month. I am open to business. I am also interested in investing in Brazil, in the purchase of factories, land… All sectors interest me," he said.
The businessman from Bahrein, Jaffer Al Daaysi, one of the six brothers who are partners in Al Daaysi group, is also in Brazil for the first time and is impressed with the diversity of the market. "There are many coffee shops here. I am interested in taking a Brazilian coffee shop to Bahrain, he said. The group already imports beef, chicken and sugar from Brazil and, after the business meetings promoted by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce at Apas, Daaysi wants to take rice, tinned foods and coffee, among other foods.
The group, which has four supermarkets in Bahrain, also distributes food to Iraq, Kuwait, Iran and Saudi Arabia. On the market since 1958, Al Daaysi still operates in the sectors of transportation, trade, petrol stations, building material, electronics, furniture, real estate and education. The company plans to start importing garments and Brazil is among the potential suppliers.
Contacts
The Sultan Center
Tel. +965 243 187-51
Fax +965 243 481-79
E-mail: bojasim@sultan-center.com
Site: www.sultan-center.com
Al Daaysi
Tel. +973 1778-5053
E-mail: aldaaysi@batelco.com.bh
*Translated by Mark Ament
