São Paulo – Brazilian Footwear, a program that supports Brazilian footwear exports, has selected the target markets it will focus on during the 2026/2027 biennium, and two Arab countries are among them. The United Arab Emirates was chosen as one of the priority markets, while Saudi Arabia was designated as a secondary one. This means the program will carry out initiatives to boost the presence of Brazilian footwear in these countries.
Brazilian Footwear is carried out by the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) and the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (ApexBrasil) to expand the presence of the Brazilian footwear industry and its brands in the international market through various activities, including trade promotion. Currently, the program supports more than 305 companies.
The target markets for the program were defined during a virtual meeting between representatives from Abicalçados, ApexBrasil, and footwear companies, following a pre-selection based on quantitative and qualitative data. In addition to the UAE, the priority markets selected include the United States, Colombia, Chile, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Among the secondary markets, besides Saudi Arabia, South Africa was also chosen.
“Latin American markets, due to their cultural similarities and geographic proximity, tend to be more accessible for beginner companies. On the other hand, more sophisticated markets, such as those in Europe and the Middle East, are more challenging and better suited for companies that are more established in the internationalization process,” Letícia Sperb Masselli, Relationship and Business Manager at Abicalçados, was quoted as saying in a statement.
According to Clara Santos, manager of the Brazilian Footwear program at ApexBrasil, the project aims to maintain and expand the presence in core markets while exploring new potential countries, especially in Asia and Africa. “The goal is to diversify footwear exports as much as possible so that internationalization is not limited to a few markets, making it less vulnerable to economic instabilities.”
Challenging moment
According to information released by Abicalçados, the selection of target markets comes amid a challenging moment for footwear exports, with deep changes in the dynamics of international trade due to the trade war between the U.S. and China. Despite the uncertainties, between January and March, Brazil exported more than 31.5 million pairs of shoes, 14% more than in the same period of 2024, according to the association.
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Translated by Guilherme Miranda
