Geovana Pagel*
geovana.pagel@anba.com.br
São Paulo – Príncipe Verde, a female shoe producer from the southeastern Brazilian state of Minas Gerais, wants to sign new contracts with exporters in the Middle East and North Africa. Around three years ago, the company sold to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Morocco. As the sales did not continue, the factory from Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, wants to make contact with the Arab importers once again.
"It is a market that interests us very much and that has great buying power. Our shoes please Arab consumers as we use top quality leather and many stones and crystals," explained the company export manager, Elton Morais. To guarantee the opportunity of showing products to foreign buyers, Príncipe Verde has already reserved a stand at the next edition of Couromoda, from January 14th to 17th, 2008. "We will be at D Street and hope to meet the Arab importers to negotiate," guaranteed Morais.
Príncipe Verde was established in 1975. In the beginning, the company operated in a small room, with production of just 30 pairs of shoes a day. At the time, the focus was on development of traditional leather pumps, which became a reference in the market and are still the main company product. Then, in 1979, production rocketed to 500 pairs a day and the product mix was diversified. Today, production is 1,500 pairs a day and the factory employs 130 people.
"Since the beginning, the end quality of the product associated to efficient management granted the company fast growth and equilibrium. Currently, Príncipe Verde is a brand that covers the whole of Brazil, selling to around 1,800 shops around the country," explained Morais.
On the domestic market, the maker supplies to almost all states. Most of the orders come from Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, also in southeastern Brazil, Paraná, in the south, and from the Northeast. The export department was established in 2000, when the company started investing in the development of the foreign market.
The main buyer markets are Chile and Bolivia. Apart from the formerly mentioned Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Morocco, Príncipe Verde also sells to Venezuela, Australia and the United States. "Our clients know our products, they trust our quality and our compliance with delivery times," he said.
Variety
Aware of demands and fashion needs and of new consumers, the company has diversified its collections and production processes. Apart from the recognised closed leather shoes, the industry offers the market a differentiated product mix including high-heeled platforms, sandals, plimsolls and sophisticated items for parties. The company produces around 150 models per collection, coordinated by designer Adriana Morais, using a colour scheme that may reach 38 varieties.
Príncipe Verde has four releases a year that are presented at the main fairs in the country. The company has confirmed presence at the Francal and at the Couromoda, which take place in São Paulo, and at regional fairs BH Shoes and Minas Preview, which take place twice a year in Belo Horizonte.
Contact
Príncipe Verde
Site: www.principeverde.com.br
Telephone: (+55 31) 3462 6143 and (+55 31) 9286 0246
E-mail: eltoncourosltda@hotmail.com
*Translated by Mark Ament
