São Paulo – Brazilian companies that participated in the second day of the business roundtables with Arabs on Tuesday (11), at the offices of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, found good perspectives for their products. They spoke to three supermarket and distributor groups specialized in foods that are participating in the event: Al Maya, from the United Arab Emirates, Maza, from Bahrain, and Cozmocenter, from Jordan.
Dario Chemerinski, the international commercial director at fishery producer Gomes da Costa, which already exports to Morocco, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Libya and Iraq, sees good perspectives for entry into the Bahraini market. "Bahrain is interesting due to slightly more sophisticated consumption of tuna and sardine, so I think that we have good chances of success,” he pointed out.
With regard to the market in the United Arab Emirates, the new lines of products were those that attracted the most attention from Al Maya group, according to Chemerinski.
"Al Maya already operates with tuna and sardines, and has ordered some products specifically for the market, and I also feel we have potential. A different kind of tune from what we make, in different sizes. We have already also launched salads and fillets, in new flavour, which is smoked. I believe that one route to explore with the three would be leaving the traditional product, which is classic tuna, and going onto novelties,” said the director.
To company New Millen, in the area of food, one of the best proposals was for purchase of its products by Al Maya for distribution in the Emirates. "As we are prepared to sell at great volume, in one or two tonne packages or 25 kilogram bags, the company was greatly interested and, now, is awaiting the price list,” said José Dantas, the company president. According to him, the products that attracted most attention from Arab buyers were the lines for weight loss, chocolate drinks and cappuccinos.
Biscuit producer Cosme e Damião does not yet export to the Arab market, but has a trading company that has already placed itself in contact with buyers from the Emirates and Saudi Arabia. According to director Cosme Camelo, during the negotiations on Tuesday, the company has already received orders for the shipments of samples and established perspectives for sales to three countries.
"They are all interested, saying there is no similar product there. It is the only butter cookie that is free of trans fat. That, to them, is very important,” he pointed out.
Another company that hopes to start its sales to the Arabs is Nobel. According to Simone Bertolla, the Sales executive at the group, Maza showed interest in distribution of company chocolates in Bahrain.
"We said we would send information on prices and quality. We left samples of chocolate in bars and other items about price and quantity. We left samples of chocolate in bars and other items will be sent later,” said Simone.
According to her, the promotion of good business with the Arab market aroused the company’s interest in the region. "We watched several news stories reporting that the Arab market has been growing a lot lately. It is interesting for us to have our line there," she explains.
To Giovanni Longo, a trader with JBS, by participating in the event, the company was able to maintain contact with the Maza and Al Maya groups, which already are clients, and to kick off negotiations with the Cozmocenter supermarket, which does not buy from the slaughterhouse yet. "We will talk next week. He is going to analyze the product and the proposals, and see what business can be done," he says.
Opportunities are also appearing in the Arab market for Brasfrigo, which sells products such as vegetable preserves, tomato sauce and extract, salad dressings and mayonnaise.
The company closed its first sales deal with Cozmocenter, in 2009, and participated in the business roundtables aiming to increase its sales in the region. "The market opportunities are big. We need to focus on pricing and quality. I realized that these are their requirements," says the company’s Foreign Trade assistant, Talitha Cruz.
To her, the Arab market is a new focus of attention for Brazilian companies. "Last year, the focus was on Europe. Now, we see that the outlook is good and that they (the Arabs) are seeking other importers, other options, always seeking quality."
*Translated by Mark Ament and Gabriel Pomerancblum
