Brazilians celebrate increase in visitors to their stands at ISM 2011
The 28 Brazilian companies that took part in ISM 2011 are pleased with the high volume of deals closed and significant numbers of visitors to their stands. Over the four days of the fair, 1,500 visitors came to the Sweet Brazil Pavilion, a 36% increase compared to last year’s edition, with a resulting sales volume of more than $51 million, including the deals expected to be closed over the next 12 months.
Coordinated by ABICAB [the Brazilian Association of Cacao, Chocolates, Candies and Byproducts Industry] and in partnership with Apex-Brasil [the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency], the companies attributed these good results to the heavy investments made over the last few years aimed at making higher quality products with more added value. According to ABICAB, the ISM also continues to consolidate its status as a truly global fair, with exhibitors and visitors from all over the world.
ABICAB vice president Solange Isidoro says, “The visitors who came to Cologne this year, came to close deals – a fact that is borne out by the industry’s numbers”. According to her, “it is very important for the Brazilian industry, which exports to 145 countries, to take part in this fair because it is an international meeting point, where you can set up meetings with clients from all over the world in just one place, not to mention sound out new buyers”.
Docile, the candy and chewing gum maker, brought some new products to ISM2011 and feels that their participation was a success. “It was the best fair we have been to, both in terms of visitors and deals closed, and we have been coming here to Cologne for nine years”, says the company’s sales director, Alexandre Heineck.
According to him, the company’s new product launches and broad product range helped guarantee the good results. One of the new products launched at the fair was the Clex, a tablet chewing gum with a liquid filling and coming in a blister pack – the first such combination of its kind to be produced by a Brazilian company. Docile also launched the Rolly Mint internationally, a compressed pastille with a heart shaped centre, coming in single unit flow packs, in mint, strawberry and extra strong flavours.
Harald, the first Brazilian company to release a Gourmet line of chocolates of certified origin for use as a cooking ingredient, internationally launched these products at ISM2011 – 70% cacao content chocolate bars with the cacao coming from Madagascar, Ecuador, Ghana, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela. Milena Boggio, Harald’s export manager, explained that these products are being used by sophisticated chefs and restaurants: “We held chocolate tastings for the new line and they were enthusiastically accepted”.
During the fair, Harald also launched a new line of hazelnut, peanut and cashew nut filling creams, as well as two filling jams made from pure fruit pulp: passion fruit and apple and cinnamon. The company initiated negotiations in several new African markets, such as South Africa, and ones in the Americas, including Costa Rica and Puerto Rico. There was even time to hold meetings with its established clients in the, US, Middle East , Argentina, Peru, Chile and Colombia, among others.
Brazil’s companies will now prepare for Gulfood, the food trade fair held in Dubai, at the end of February; Sweet and Snacks Expo 2011, held in Chicago, in May; and Sweet Brazil International 2011, held in Recife, in August.
