Brazil celebrates growth with a new look at ISM 2012

The Brazilian confectionery industry, the third largest in the world, is to be represented at ISM 2012 by 22 companies taking part in the delegation of Abicab, which is in partnership with Apex-Brasil.

Over the last decade, Brazil has doubled its confectionery exports, increased the number of markets reached and become the third largest producer of such products in the world. Between 2000 and 2010, the country’s confectionery, chocolate and peanut exports jumped from $152 million to $304 million.

This growth was accompanied by significant investment, with $400 million invested in modernising the national confectionery industry between 2009 and 2011, with new industrial plants and production lines opened and improvements made to industrial processes and sustainability programs.

Sales abroad have doubled in terms of value, with a corresponding 30% increase in volume, going from 105,000 tons to 133,000 tons over the last ten years. “This shows that we are exporting products with more and more added value”, adds Abicab vice president Solange Isidoro.

To celebrate these results, Abicab, in partnership with Apex-Brasil (the Brazilian Trade and Investment Promotion Agency), is launching a new visual image for the industry at ISM 2012. Developed after analysing the results of a branding study, the new brand will be a new identity for the Sweet Brazil program, which is the institutional umbrella of the confectionery exporting industries.

From January to October 2011, sales of confectionery abroad reached $280 million, a growth of 12% compared to the same period in 2010. Isidoro states, “We are in a position to compete in mature markets, as can be seen from our strong presence in the US, Canada, Japan, South Korea and others”. Brazil’s exports for the period increased more for regions with greater economic growth, such as South America (28.8%), but it still increased for regions that performed poorly, such as Western Europe (5.7%) and North America (4.1%).

Argentina became the largest international buyer of Brazil’s confectionery, importing $47.2 million for the period January to October. The US came second, with purchases totalling $29.7 for the same period. Despite the tariff and non-tariff barriers imposed by the European Union, including sky-high import tax rates on products containing sugar, and the region’s economic difficulties, Brazil’s 2011 confectionery exports to Western Europe had reached $8.6 million by October.

The 22 trade companies will be launching 40 new products at ISM-2012, presenting traditional flavours as well as some typically Brazilian ones. An enormous variety of tropical tastes will be featured, such confectionery made from Brazil nuts, acerola cherries, passion fruit, mango, coconut and bananas, in addition to new products in traditional flavours like tangerine, lime, orange and green apple, among others. Also to feature as product launches will be confectionery made from coffee and others such as lemon balm, colouring-free mint, corn sugar and peanut with natural colourings.

Brazil’s main exporting companies participating at ISM 2012 include: Aladim, Bel, Berbau, Confirma, Docile, Dori, Embaré, Erlan, Fini, Garoto, Harald, Jazam, Montevergine, Noblan, Peccin, Pietrobon, Prodasa, Riclan, Sam’s, Sukest, Sweet Bee and Toffano. Visit the Brazilian pavilion in hall 2.2, stand F024.