Brazilian confectionery companies achieve record results at ISM
Cargill has pledged to accelerate tackling deforestation in Brazil, as well as neighbouring Argentina and Uruguay. Pic: Shutterstock
The organisers of the Brazilian pavilion at this year’s ISM have reported the country’s strongest ever results at the event, with 17 companies generating a total of more than $6 million at the key trade fair.
This was against $4.5 million achieved for 2018’s edition of the show, with the overall business created at the 2019 fair set to exceed $51 million over the next twelve months.
The result represents an increase of more than 150% compared to the US$ 20 million made last year and is a record for Brazilian companies at ISM.
More than 811 contacts were made by Brazilian companies with buyers, of which about 455 were new during the fair, held from January 27 to 30. The companies were assembled in the Brazilian Pavilion, organised by ABICAB (Brazilian Chocolates, Peanuts and Candies Manufacturers Association) and by ABIMAPI (Brazilian Manufacturers Association of Biscuits, Pasta and Industrialized Breads and Cakes), which carry out export promotion projects in partnership with Apex-Brasil (Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency).
“The good results at ISM are a result of the investments made by the companies and make us leave Cologne very optimistic about the prospects for the industry,” says ABICAB´s president Ubiracy Fonsêca. “Our companies have been trying to meet the international demand for healthier products, and we are now able to offer the Brazilian market and the world products with better quality and sustainability,” he adds.
Buyers from countries like USA, Canada, China, Germany, Austria, Poland, Australia, Argentina, Venezuela, Chile, Peru, Jordan, Israel and South Africa visited the Brazilian Pavilion. Brazilian exporters had also meetings with representatives of companies from Lebanon, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Ecuador, Angola, Portugal, Bulgaria, Hungary, Cameroon, Uganda, Russia, the Netherlands, Spain, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, among others.
Simas, a renowned confectionery maker, leaves Cologne with the satisfaction of having won at least ten new buyers in existing and new markets, such as Russia, Yemen, the Netherlands and Jordan.
“The outlook for the next 12 months is a 20% to 30% increase in export sales,” says Luiz Eduardo Simas, the company’s export director. “The world is more excited about Brazil, despite the fact that international competition is practicing very low prices, because the quality of the Brazilian product surpasses this”, emphasises the entrepreneur.
In its ISM opening, Francfort Trade peanut exporter celebrates the closing of ten container sales operations during the event, with the expectation of closing $15 million in exports in the next 12 months, based on contacts made at the fair. The company already exports to Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Belgium and Spain. “For a first year, it is very good,” says Rodrigo Francfort the company’s owner.
Cory, which exports candy and confectionery to 44 countries, sold three containers to Albania, Lebanon and Sudan, the latter two being new markets for the company. “In relation to the fair last year, during the event we made about 30% more business. We expect our export turnover to grow around 50%,” says Arthur Fernando Jorge, export manager.
Meanwhile, chocolate manufacturer, Garoto celebrates good results obtained at the fair, where the highlight was its dark line, with a higher percentage of cocoa and the addition of natural fruit flavours such as passion fruit and raspberry, as well as innovations such as salted caramel and cocoa nibs.
“We met with a lot of active clients at the fair, but what surprised us was the demand in markets where we were no longer, old customers have now returned to the fair to reactivate business,” says Ricardo Rocha, Garoto’s export manager. Among visitors, buyers from Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Venezuela and Egypt.
M. Dias Branco, a well-established manufacturer of biscuits and pasta, also launched a new biscuit brand, Vitarella, with its Delicitá Cristal line, which is a sweet cracker. “Our exports grew 28% last year and we expect, with the participation in the fair and other activities, a higher growth in 2019,” says César Reis, export director of M Dias Branco company.
