São Paulo – Arab companies which took part of the supermarket sector’s fair, Apas, finished this Thursday (8th), in São Paulo, promise to come back to the event next year. Invited to present their products at the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce’s stand at Expo Center Norte, the exhibitors stated that the show offered the opportunity to reach a large number of purchasing public and to meet with people capable of deciding or not on the closing of deals.
“Apas is a great opportunity for companies from Tunisia and other Arab countries to show their products and learn about the food consumed in Brazil and Latin America. It is also an opportunity for them to meet clients and distributors in Brazil. This was our first time at the fair, but it will not be the last”, said the Middle East and Africa Exporters Association (Maex)’s general-secretary, Zied Jaouadi.
Maex is based in Tunisia. At the event, Jaouadi presented dates produced in the country to visitors. He has already been to another Brazilian fair, Sial, last year.
The businessman suggested that in the next edition the fair organizers should bring together companies from other Arab countries and Brazilian suppliers to discuss business opportunities. “It would be a way to promote exports and imports”, said Jaouadi.
Chairman of the Egyptian company Elmokkadem Co. for Export and Import, Mohamed El Mokkadem came to Apas to show products such as potato snacks, dates, flavoring, among others. Besides looking for clients, he met with companies which are willing to export to Egypt.
“The Brazilian market was unknown to us and we learn a little about it every day. I think I will be able to do business with the companies from here because my products are interesting to the Egyptian consumers and vice-versa. Dates are not grown here, for example, and there we don’t have tropical fruit we can find here. Brazil is also very technologically advanced in food processing. I would like to take this technology to Egypt. There will be even more opportunities in the next edition”, he said.
During Apas, Mokkadem met with a candy company from Brazil that wishes to import flavoring components. He may also buy fruit for Egypt. “For now it is time for Brazilian fruit, which have a large market in Europe, to be shipped. The price is a little high, so we have to wait for it to lower”, he said.
Owner of the importer and exporter Comercial Khoury, Amin Khoury, expects to close deals with the contacts he met at the fair. He exports to Brazil the olive oil Nasr, manufactured by his relatives in Lebanon. “Two olive oil specialists tasted our product and said it is very good. They will recommend it to their clients. Besides that, I have established import contacts with supermarkets in the São Paulo countryside and other states”, he said.
*Translated by Rodrigo Mendonça
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