São Paulo – The Arabian Gulf relies on imports of a wide array of goods, and the products it sources from Brazil run the gamut from food to building materials. Rio de Janeiro’s ALM Brazil Trading Company recently supplied light fixtures by a Rio-based designer to Qatar, and found that selling to the region can be a great business opportunity. The picture above is for illustration purposes only. Fairmont Hotel, Abu Dhabi.
“This is an incredible opportunity to explore,” ALM Brazil founder and CEO Marlúcia Martire told ANBA. The designer of the fixtures sought out ALM for help with the sale. “We provided all the support required, including issuance of certificates of origin, shipping procedures, negotiation with air freight forwarders, customs clearance, safe delivery, Arab market price surveys, everything from start to finish,” explained Martire.
ALM spent three months surveying Arab markets and discovered a strong demand for light fixtures which Brazilian designers can tap into. “We found out that that there’s a demand for these fixtures, especially ones designed to match Arab tastes, very shimmery, with crystals and stones, and at the same time a contemporary style,” said Martire.
Going forward, she intends to export more fixtures, particularly custom ones. “Brazilian design is very creative, versatile and unique. Brazilian product is unique. I hope that designers will look to this new market,” she said.
ALM Brazil recently entered into a contract with a fixture manufacturing company in South Brazil to ship product to the UAE. “We will begin development of this new business in May,” she said.
And can Brazilian product face the competition? Martire believes it can. “The Arabs enjoy our creativity. They trust us when it comes to product quality, and above all they trust our export-import companies. We are gaining the trust of our Arab partners.” Martire said ALM Brazil is available to provide across-the-board export advisory.
ALM Brazil
Martire’s Rio-based company has been on the market for 15 years. Since 2011, she has focused on selling to the Gulf. She ships product to the UAE, and some of it gets reexported across the region. The primary export product is coffee, including green beans, roast beans, and roast and ground.
ALM Brazil is developing halal, organic non-transgenic popcorn corn to supply the UAE. It is also about to start selling halal açaí, Amazonian fish and fruit including mango and lime. According to Martire, halal certification is a big plus when it comes to attesting product quality.
Martire has a partner in the UAE that has set up a dedicated business to receive product from ALM Brazil. She will spend three months living in Dubai, starting May 23. The first batch of açaí will be delivered to her partner’s enterprise soon.
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Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
