São Paulo – Brazilian sweet producers should participate in a delegation and food fair in the Arab world next year to expand their market in the region. Led by the Brazilian Cocoa and Confectionery Manufacturers Association (Abicab) and the Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency (Apex), they should participate in the Gulfood, to take place from February 19th to 22nd of next year in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and a little before, from the 12th to the 16th, in a mission to Saudi Arabia and the Emirates.
According to the Export manager at Abicab, Rafael do Prado Ribeiro, the Arab world is a strategic market for the sector, as it has been growing. “From January to October this year, exports grew 25%, to US$ 9.5 million,” said Ribeiro, referring to the comparison with the same period in 2010. Gulfood, according to him, is the fair that brings the best return in the sector, though it also participates in international fairs in Europe and in the United States. This is the sweet sector’s third participation in the fair.
Both the fair and the delegation will also include Brazilian participation from other sectors, orchestrated by the Apex. While visiting Saudi Arabia and the Emirates in the form of a delegation, there should be an institutional agenda for Abicab representatives and also business meetings with businessmen in Riyadh and Dubai, as well as technical visits. The Gulfood will include participation of seven sector companies: Docile, Dori, Embaré, Garoto, Itamaraty, Mavalerio and Riclan. The delegation should include Docile, of candies, and Garoto, of chocolate, as well as Abicab itself.
According to Ribeiro, the sector products most exported to the Arab world are candies and chocolates. Sweets represent the greatest volume, but chocolate sales are those growing most. The manager believes that this is due to the effort for greater exports. “The Arab market has a small industry in the area, it accepts our sweets well and we have intensified promotion,” he explained. According to the executive, the taste of the Arabs is similar to that of Brazilians and companies only changed the packages to sell there.
Enrolment for participation in the delegation has already closed. The Gulfood attracts 62,000 visitors from around 150 countries. In the edition early this year, the Abicab took eight companies that made 769 contacts, 24% more than in the previous year. Sales of US$ 1.3 million were made on the spot and estimated future deals reached US$ 8 million.
*Translated by Mark Ament
