São Paulo – The world’s largest food and beverage show, Anuga, held in Cologne, Germany, saw this year the participation of the Halal do Brasil Project, a partnership between the Arab-Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) to boost the presence of Brazilian companies in the global halal market. According to the ABCC’s Internationalization Projects manager, Fernanda Dantas, the event was an opportunity to “position Brazil” as a halal supplier.
“It was very important to participate because it was the first time the show gave visibility to halal products, the first time it set up a halal market and held a halal conference. Brazil’s participation in the conference and its exhibition stand at the market brought excellent visibility. The event was full, and it was important to position Brazil as a producer and supplier of halal goods. The fact the certifiers were there gave strength to the project,” said Dantas.
Halal products are made in accordance with the sacred traditions of Islam. Certifiers are private companies that audit halal production and certify it complies with the rules of Islam. Brazil has a small Muslim population; nevertheless, it is a prominent exporter of halal protein. Among the main consumers of halal foods are nations in North Africa, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Europe.
On Halal do Brasil Day, an action to cement Brazil’s position in this market, the Halal do Brasil Project brought former Bayern Munich football player Giovane Élber to tour the show and promote Brazilian products. Project representatives also presented a talk on the topic at the Anuga Global Halal Conference and hosted a cooking show at Brazil’s stand (pictured above).
“In the cooking show, the chef presented Brazilian products and talked about brands. She also acted as a promoter,” said Dantas. “We made contact with Brazilian companies to bring them to the project, and we were able to show the world everything Brazil is doing, its potential, the companies we have, and the quality of our certification,” added Dantas.
In addition to the Halal do Brasil Project actions, Brazil presented other initiatives at the Anuga show, such as a stand with national companies brought by ApexBrasil and the presence of animal protein lobbies ABPA and ABIEC, among other activities and participations. In addition to Dantas, the ABCC was represented at Anuga by its International Relations vice president Mohamad Mourad.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
