São Paulo – The Egyptian Traders Co., which imports commodities, is interested in opening a trading company in Brazil for the purchase of finished products, mainly food. The group trader, Marwan El Fouly, participated yesterday (23), in São Paulo, in business meetings promoted by the Brazilian Supermarket Association (Abras) and showed interest in different products. "In the Egyptian market, we need novelties," he said.
One of the companies that attracted Fouly’s attention was Vapza, a maker of vacuum packed food, headquartered in Paraná. "I found the products very interesting," said the trader, who appreciated the transparent packaging and the peeled and diced vegetables ready for cooking. According to information disclosed by the company, the process developed by Vapza allows for the cooking of the food within the package itself, avoiding the need for preservatives and other chemical products.
Another product that interested the trader was soluble coffee. Among the coffee companies that spoke to Fouly were Café Bom Dia and Sara Lee Cafés, the owners of brands Pilão, Café do Ponto, Caboclo and Seleto. "Brazil has excellent quality products, but it is necessary to invest more in the foreign market," said Fouly, who did not know of the variety of Brazilian products.
According to him, apart from producers of food, other Brazilian companies also aroused interest. "I liked the misting fans very much. In Egypt we have a very warm and dry climate," he said, referring to the equipment produced by Joape, a maker of several kinds of acclimatising devices. According to the company’s export manager, Lucas Pohlmann, talks with the Egyptian were very productive. "It was the best feedback we have got since the beginning of the roundtables," he said.
Joape, headquartered in Rio Grande do Sul, already exports to over 20 countries and exported to Egypt last year. "We are identifying great potential in the Arab market," said Pohlmann, who added that he would send an e-mail with a price table to the trader.
The Egyptian group includes six companies, one of which produces animal feed. The main products improted by the group are wheat, soy, sugar, coffee and maize. Wheat is mainly imported from Russia and the Untied States, maize from Brazil and the United States, soy from the United States and Argentina, sugar from India and Brazil and coffee from Indonesia, Vietnam and India. "We have great interest in buying more commodities from Brazil, but it is hard to find suppliers," said Fouly.
Apart from imports, the group also exports Egyptian rice to the Arab market and wheat to Syria and Libya. The organisation had a turnover of US$ 230 million last year, with revenues of around US$ 90 million. According to the trader, the figures should drop this year due to the global crisis.
According to the international manager at Abras, Cláudio Macedo, this was the first time that Arab importers were invited to the event. "The idea was to bring a group of 10 buyers, but it was not possible," he said, adding that next year the organisation, in partnerhsip with the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, may bring a greater group.
The third edition of the business meetings has demonstrated positive results. In 2007 the roundtables included 12 international buyers, in 2008, 18, and this year, 24. In the first year, the business expectation had been US$ 40 million in the 12 months after the event and, for this edition, the expectation is to double that value. The meetings should go on today, at the WTC Sheraton.
*Translated by Mark Ament
