São Paulo – Two food companies from Egypt are in Brazil for the first time to exhibit their products at trade expo Food Ingredients South America, in São Paulo. Almounajed Food Industries, a producer of pellet snacks (snacks before being fried) made of corn, wheat and potato that exports to over 60 countries, and Inagrotiba, a herbs and spices company that exports mainly to Europe.
Herbs Egypt, another herbs Egyptian company also has a stand at the expo. It has been exporting to Brazil for twenty years. The expo began this Tuesday (21) and runs until Thursday (23).
The pellet snacks company Almounajed came to the trade fair to expand its business throughout Latin America. It’s the first time that the brand’s representatives come to Brazil, and the company’s Public Affairs manager, Fatina Almounajed (picture above), told ANBA that she’s seeking buyers from both the large snack companies, to fry, flavor and package her product, and the supermarkets and stores that wish to sell them directly to the end consumer.
“We know we face the challenge of creating a new habit here in Brazil, since people here are not used to buy their snacks to fry them at home, but our product is all-natural, don’t have food additives and we trust its quality will be appealing; and we notice that Brazilians are very health-conscious and our product can be also fried at ‘Airfryer’ devices, with no fat,” explained Fatina this Wednesday (22).
According to her, the trade expo is netting them many contacts and meetings. Seven companies already told to be interested. Almounajed sells to around 60 countries, including the Arab countries Tunisia, Algeria, Libya, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen (one of major buyers), Kuwait and Iraq. Over 65% of the output are exported and, according to Fatina, their 3,500 tons capacity per month allow their prices to be very competitive.
The company is originally from Syria. It was founded by Fatina’s father in 1945, and used to produce chocolates, chips, cookies and snacks. After the war started in Syria, in 2011, the company was destroyed and, soon after, in 2012, it moved to Egypt, where it began to produce again, this time only snacks.
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Inagrotiba
The dehydrated herbs and spices company Inagrotiba is also looking to enter the Brazilian market. According to the brand’s CEO, Mohamed Shafik, the fair is being good for making contacts, setting up meetings and, mainly, market research. “We already have some companies that are interested, we haven’t signed any deals yet but we’re confident,” he said.
The company wants to sell in bulk to other food companies that would use the products in processed products or even to just package them to sell directly in supermarkets. “We want to sell large quantities to large companies and we will compete in the market with our quality, not only with our price,” Shafik emphasized, explaining that the entire production process of the dehydrated herbs and spices follows high standards, and with no food additives. Inagrotiba is focusing, here in Brazil, on the sales of parsley, powder onion and powder garlic. Their main competitors regarding these products are Argentina, for the parsley, and China, for the powder onion and garlic but, according to Shafik, his products are of superior quality.
Inagrotiba also sells oregano, basil, leek, cilantro, chamomile, among others. The company was founded in 2014 and is specialized in dehydration of herbs, spices, vegetables and fruits, and is looking to become a global exporter of high-quality products.
Herbs Egypt
Herbs Egypt has been in the Brazilian market for 20 years, selling to other companies its herbs such as basil, marjoram, chamomile, marigold, pepper, parsley, cilantro and mint. According to the brand’s general manager, Rabie Abbas, his main buyers are food products companies, bulk buyers, tea and alternative medicine companies.
“We’re already established in Brazil, and here we sell 12 products; here, at the expo, we’re looking to expand the number of clients, yesterday (Tuesday) we signed a deal and today (Wednesday) we have two meeting scheduled, we’re pleased,” said Abbas. The manager wouldn’t reveal the name of the buyer.
Twenty years ago, Herbs Egypt began selling to Brazil around USD 50,000 worth of products. Currently, it sells USD 400,000 per year and, according to Abbas, until May of next year he’s hoping to reach USD 1 million, with marketing campaigns and the company’s participation at the annual trade expo Apas Show, of the São Paulo Supermarkets Association.
The Food Ingredients South America is taking place at Expo Transamerica, at avenue Dr. Mário Villas Boas Rodrigues, 387, Santo Amaro, São Paulo. Opening hours are from 1 pm to 8 pm. For further information, visit the expo’s website.
Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
