São Paulo – Representatives of seven micro and small companies from Amazon state attended, last week, a workshop held by the State of Amazon Industries Federation (FIEAM), in a partnership with trading company ALM Brazil International Exportadora e Importadora, focusing on the exports of their products to the United Arab Emirates. The companies are all manufacturers of cosmetics and typical food from the region that, according to FIEAM, generate considerable interest from the Arabs.
“Two years ago, Arab ambassadors visited Manaus and they showed an interest in products from Amazon,” says Marcelo Lima, manager of the Business International Center (CIN) of FIEAM, this Thursday (9). The mission with ambassadors mentioned by the executive had the support of the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce.
After the mission, however, talks showed little improvement, according to Lima. He says that the company are, mostly, of small size and don’t have the expertise to sell abroad. So, the support of trading company ALM Brazil, based in Rio de Janeiro (RJ), could help – and even speed up – the presence of Amazon products in the United Arab Emirates.
“We seek to prepare the companies to export, but it is a process that takes time. The trading company has an interest in taking the products to the United Arab Emirates, it knows that market, knows the Amazon companies, and can help in this first step, until these companies can walk on their own,” explained the manager.
ALM Brazil will set up, until the end of March, a permanent showroom with Amazon products in a Dubai hotel. It will display the products of the companies that attended the workshop – manufacturers of cosmetics, fruit pulp, nuts, candies and sweets made with typical fruits from the region, such as açaí berry and cupuaçu. “The idea is to promote all of this among the Arabs. The trading company will buy the products and take care of the export procedures at first, respecting the brands of the companies, to help advertise the products,” said Lima.
Over time, other showrooms will be opened and, in case sales pick up, the companies will make contact with local importers so they can conduct, by themselves, their exports.
“This partnership [with ALM Brazil] is a way to enable their entrance in the external market,” says Lima, adding that the trading company from Rio de Janeiro has been a partner of FIEAM in other areas for a few years already. “In this crisis, to search for alternative sources is crucial for business continuity,” he concluded.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani