São Paulo – Brazilian products, especially food, are well-known in Qatar, and there is more space for them in the Arab country. But local market players do not just want to buy from Brazil but establish long-term partnerships with regional headquarters in their country and import products from Qatar.
These were some of the messages received by Brazilian business people and executives who participated in a mission organized by the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce (ABCC) to the Gulf this week, including visits to the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Representatives of nine Brazilian companies traveled to Qatar, where the delegation arrived on Wednesday (3) and from where it will depart this Saturday (6).
“We were very well received at all the meetings,” said the New Business director of the ABCC, Daniella Leite, who accompanied the mission with the institution’s International Business consultant, Karen Mizuta. Leite says Qatar wants reciprocity in trade relations. “They are open and have a great market but want long-term partnerships, for companies to have headquarters base here or buy from the country too,” she explained.
The delegation also heard from experts in the local market about the reputation of Brazilian products. The message was conveyed at a meeting at the Apex marketing agency, which spoke to Brazilians about local consumption habits. They learned about the massive internet connection, which covers 100% of the population, the local solid foreign presence, the most used social networks, among other information. “Brazil, as a brand, is very well regarded, especially in food, and we have an exciting potential here,” said Leite on Doha.
Networking
The Brazilians had several networking sessions with Qatar business people. “We had contact with business people from different sectors,” stated Leite. The group visited a food processing plant of the Village Group, a large corporate group with which it established relations during the mission. Several local entrepreneurs also contacted the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, interested in doing business with Brazilians, after the mission’s visit to the organization was highlighted in the local media.
The mission’s schedule included visits and meetings at the Chamber of Qatar, the investment agency Invest Qatar, a supermarket of the Al Meera group, the Qatar Free Zones Authority (QFZA) (opening picture), a factory and supermarket of the Village Group, the Apex marketing agency, and a Saudia Group hypermarket. The Village Group is a sizeable Qatari conglomerate, operating in sectors ranging from retail and food to construction, chemicals, and logistics.
At Invest Qatar and the QFZA, the entrepreneurs learned about the local market, taxation, and incentives, and the many possibilities for investment formats or establishing in the country. “They want partnerships, but they are flexible for varied sizes and types of companies, knowing some are large and can create more jobs, and this gives more government incentives, but a small one can start with a small office in the country, which proves this interest,” she said.
At the Al Meera chain supermarket, the group learned about logistics issues, products most purchased by consumers, presence of competition in the food market, among other characteristics of local retail. The singularities of local consumption were also explored during a visit to the Saudia Group supermarket.
The Brazilian companies that participated in the mission to Qatar were Cacau Foods do Brasil, Fambras Halal, Ecotrading, Distillerie Stock do Brasil, Indústrias Almina, Zoo Flora, OTC, Intercroma, and Falcafé. Eleven companies participated in the schedule in the UAE, which took place at the beginning of the week, including JCF Embalagens, and Bendita Mandioca, in addition to those mentioned above.
Read more about the mission:
- Expo: Brazilian mission had special welcome in pavilions
- In Dubai, Brazilian companies are ready to export
- Mission visits container farm in Abu Dhabi
- Food, agribusiness firms prospecting business in Dubai
- Arab Brazilian Chamber to take companies to UAE, Qatar
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
