São Paulo – Ma Sweet Cases, a company from São Paulo’s countryside that sells candy cases, will seek more clients in Arab countries. Ever since it started operating in the sector, in the end of 2009, the company has already exported to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait in the Arab world. However, on the 23rd this month, the owner of Ma Sweet Cases, Mirela Goi, leaves to Dubai, in the Arab Emirates, on leisure and business.
Almost all of the company’s exports are made online. The Emirates will be the first country she will travel to in order to prospect for business. She says she already has meetings scheduled with wedding industry professionals, but is available for other meetings in case any interest arises. Goi will stay in Dubai for twelve days.
Goi says she wants to understand the Arab market a bit better during her trip. Ma Sweet Cases has already exported to approximately 15 countries. However, after conducting in-depth research on wedding ceremonies around the world, Goi came to the conclusion that the celebration in the Arab world resembles Brazil’s the most.
“I have discovered that Arab culture is quite similar to the Brazilian one in this regard. Wedding ceremonies are traditional, colourful, with great abundance, a high cost, candy is part of the wedding and they have similar shapes to the ones eaten in Brazilian weddings,” says the businesswoman, pointing out that the candy itself is different.
The candy boxes and cases Goi sells are not ordinary. A large number is made of fabric, many are made of plush materials such as lace, an embroidered linen-based fabric known as cassa bordado and pique. There are also candy boxes made from more conventional fabrics such as cotton and silk, and thin papers such as greaseproof paper and color plus. The cheapest candy box costs US$ 0.05 (or R$ 0.19) and the most expensive US$ 3.15 (R$ 7). The small company, however, has several kinds of products, with different materials and prices, for packing candy.
It all started when Goi, who is wheelchair-bound, lost her job in the Marketing industry. Since she holds a degree in Computer Engineering, she turned to online communication, but could only get a low-paying job in Managment. During her maternity leave, she got a suggestion from an aunt who made and sold candy cases, to make the cases and sell them online. Thus she started.
First, Goi used to make the cases by herself, but soon she realized she could have a large clientele. She started outsourcing production to ateliers and engaged in promoting the product on the internet, in Brazil and abroad, and commercializing it. Goi has exported from the beginning: because of her background in computing, she knew many channels to market her product on foreign websites. Portugal was one of the first foreign markets.
Goi has also graduated in Public Relations, and supplies nearly 200 brides per month. Since last year, business has grown a lot. She used to cater to nearly 60 weddings per month. Exports did not account for much of Ma Sweet Cases’ sales, but the businesswoman plans to focus on venturing into the foreign market. She is eyeing the Arabs as has always been fascinated by Arab culture.
The United States is the main market abroad, but customers are mostly Brazilians who live there. Goi’s objective, though, is to insert her products in different cultures. In spite of the conclusion that Arabs take a long time to purchase, she believes in the potential of the market. “Arabs request a lot of quotations, but do not close many sales,” she says.
Service:
Ma Sweet Cases
Facebook: https://pt-br.facebook.com/forminhasmasweetcases (in Portuguese)
Email: mirelagoi@gmail.com
Phone: (+5519) 9 9440-5376
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
