IFEX Philippines spotlights top EU brands on May 19-21

DTI-CITEM partners with ECCP, EPBN to feature leading EU firms in PH’s largest food show

Lutosa SA from Belgium, through its PH-based distributor Asia Banff International Trading Corporation, offers potato-based selections in IFEX Philippines.

Ten leading companies from the European Union (EU) are set to showcase their food products in the much-awaited 11^th edition of IFEX Philippines on May 19-21 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC).

The Department of Trade and Industry, through its Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), presents in IFEX Philippines the top food brands and technologies from EU states, including Belgium, Estonia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, and The Netherlands.

“Since IFEX Philippines is the Asia’s premier ethnic and ingredients show, exhibiting companies from Europe are in a strategic position to penetrate the lucrative Eastern Asian market,” says DTI-CITEM Executive Director Clayton Tugonon.

EU became IFEX Philippines’ first international partner region through a collaboration between DTI-CITEM and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) and EU-Philippines Business Network (EPBN).

Under the EU Pavilion, 10 companies representing EU are Black Pepper Limited, Düringer Fleischkontor, Foodsniffer, Imepa B.V., Asia Banff International Trading Corporation, Mlekoma, Nestle Philippines, AInc., PW Partners, and Sante and Union de Guyenne Boxdeaux. Through its embassy, Poland will also have its own country exhibit to promote their products.

Sante, a leading health food brand in Poland, will exhibit a wide array of flavorful wholegrain products in IFEX Philippines.

Lutosa SA from Belgium, through its Philippine-based distributor Asia Banff International Trading Corporation, will offer pre-fried frozen French fries and wide range of potato specialties. Düringer Fleischkontor is bringing premium pork cuts from Germany.

PW Partners from Estonia will bring organic baby food, baby milk powder, jam, juice, fruit-concentrates, honey, liquor, cheese, butter and many more.

Black Pepper Limited targets to engage buyers with export and wholesale of their French wine, olive oil, serrano ham, and other gourmet products. Union de Guyenne Bordeaux also looks to promote their wine offerings in IFEX Philippines.

Polish company Sante will bring a wide array of health foods, such as granolas, cookies, crisp bread, rice, cakes, peanut butter, and other breakfast selections.

Mlekoma brings a variety of milk-based products like skimmed milk powder, demineralized whey powder, cream powder, yogurt powder, and fat-filled milk powder. Imepa B.V. will showcase various meat and poultry products.

Representing its mother company in Switzerland, Nestle Philippines will bring various beverages and drink complements, including creamer, hot cocoa, malted milk, ice blended beverages, coffee, juice, iced tea and lemonade, dessert, and other culinary products.

Meanwhile, the EU Pavilion will also bring the Foodsniffer, which is the world’s first handheld mobile device that determines the freshness of raw meat, poultry and fish.

Once wirelessly connected to your smartphone via app, Foodsniffer can measure raw meat gas levels, analyzes results and instantly tells you the level of its freshness and safeness to eat.

“The participation of companies from different EU states is a remarkable addition to the gallery of global flavors at the country’s biggest export-oriented food show,” said Tugonon. “Their participation is also significant in strengthening the trade relations between the Philippines and other European countries.”

The EU is one of the most important trading partners of the Philippines. Total two-way trade in 2015 amounted to €12.9 billion, or 11 percent of the total, making the EU the Philippines’ fourth-largest trading partner.

IN terms of exports, the EU is the third-largest market of the Philippines with exports of €5.7 billion in 2015. Out of Philippines’ total export to EU, food products make up around 12.5 percent.

Within the EU, 90 percent of EU-Philippine trade is concentrated among eight EU member-states—Germany, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, Belgium and Denmark.

As of now, the Philippines is enjoying a special trade arrangement and incentives with European countries as one of the 30 countries listed under EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP).

Under the EU GSP, developing countries can export goods with reduced tariffs entering the EU to stimulate economic growth and job creation in their economies. As of 2015, the Philippines avail itself of the zero preferential duties on 6,274 products going to EU states.

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IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products.

It is one of the official business events in the 30^th Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit. The three-day event is organized by DTI-CITEM, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP), which is chaired by DTI.

Register to join the event at ifexphilippines.com.

'Duterte Factor' Boosts PHL Firms to Capitalize on China's USD79B Food Import Demand

PHL-China closer ties opens more trade opportunities for agri-exporters in IFEX Philippines, May 19-21

“There is a lot of interest from the Chinese market lately because of the ‘Duterte factor.’ The Philippine-China relationship has been growing really fast, it’s now at a golden era. We should capture this momentum. It’s an opportunity to promote to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xiamen, Beijing, including HK and Macau,” explained Antonio Tiu, chairman and CEO of AgriNurture, Inc., and one of the country’s agri-export pioneers participating in the 11^thedition of IFEX Philippines on May 19-21 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM).

Based on China’s National Bureau of Statistics, food imports in China have recorded an annual average growth of almost 15 percent in the past five years.  By 2018, China is expected to become the top importer of foreign food products, with the total value of food imports set to reach RMB 480 billion (US$77 billion).

“In the upcoming IFEX Philippines, more exporters are excited to venture in the Chinese market now that the economic superpower is considered as the world’s biggest food importer,” said DTI-CITEM Executive Director Clayton Tugonon. “Philippine companies have an edge in capitalizing on China’s huge food demand, thanks to the latest diplomatic arrangements brought by the efforts of President Rodrigo Duterte.”

China has surpassed the United States to become the world’s largest importer of agricultural products, according to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Even with 500 million farmers, China has been unable to meet the country’s growing demand for agricultural products.

Last March, China signed an agreement to buy USD 1.7 billion worth of fruits and other agricultural products from the Philippines. On February, Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua also encouraged the Philippines to pr oduce more dried mangoes to meet the "insatiable" demand in their country.

Ahead of President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Beijing last year, China has lifted restrictions on banana, and pineapple exports; and welcomed exports of Philippine mangoes, coconut and dragon fruit as well as lapu-lapu (grouper), crabs, shrimps, prawns, tuna and bangus (milk fish). Led by Duterte, Philippine delegation also managed to secure a commitment from China to finance $24 billion worth of investment projects and credit facilities for the Philippines.

‘Duterte factor’ heralds ‘golden era’ between PH-China ties

Premium agri-export selection from AgriNurture Inc. at the IFEX Philippines – Media Preview on May 5.

As one of the first Philippine companies to venture into the Chinese market, Tiu  said that the upcoming IFEX Philippines also offers the perfect opportunity for local companies to showcase other agricultural products for China.

With 90% of its company revenue comes from its export business, ANI has already been exporting Philippine fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, sweetened fruits, sweetened fruit purees and concentrates, dried fruit snacks, and beverages since 1997. It served buyers from the Greater China region, Japan, Korea, and the Middle East, Europe, and North America.

While the Philippines has always enjoyed a huge demand for its so-called “champion products” like pineapple, banana, and mango, Tiu noted that there is still a big room for export growth on other agricultural products in our local farms.

“There’s nothing that prohibits us from developing some new champions that I foresee has a lot of advantages in terms of the Philippine soil, climate, and the distance to China, which is now the biggest market. For example, calamansi, cacao, coffee, guyabano, avocado, sampaloc and kamias. These are the exotic products that this new market will demand. We should seize this opportunity,” Tiu adds. 

Tiu says AgriNurture started its export business by participating in programs organized by DTI-CITEM. “My first business matching trip was organized by DTI-CITEM in Guangzhou. We have been joining since the start of IFEX. It’s a very good venue to re-establish contact with old friends and with new acquaintances, to showcase your new products, and also learn new things from other colleagues,” he says.

La Natural: ANI’s premium brand of coco water drink.

“We used to be a pioneer of coconut water. This year, other than continuing to push for growth in the export of coco water, we have come up with a lot of new beverages particularly the morning cola drink, and some others like calamansi, dalandan, that we think will attract international attention. The moringa cola is a health drink. We also have other organic drinks,” says Tiu. “It’s an effort of continuous innovation to develop new items which are future growth.”

ANI is also showcasing its retail brands, Big Chill and Tully’s Coffee, a brand from Seattle which Tiu brought to the region. “Franchise is also an opportunity in China,” he adds.

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IFEX Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food & ingredients show, is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's specialty food, with around 700 exhibitor companies, attracting wholesale buyers, importers and food distributors from all over the world.

IFEX Philippines is organized by the Department of Trade and Industry, through its Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), and the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP), which is chaired by DTI.