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Due to the Free Trade Agreement (FTA)' s entry into force with Canada, nine companies will represent Colombia in Sial 2012, one of the most renowned food fairs worldwide.
" When we attended last year, the FTA was about to come into force. Now that it is fully effective, we will revisit our contacts and take advantage of the new benefits we have" , affirmed María Paula Gamboa from Ciamsa, a sugar cane company from Cali. " Our product will have a tax relief, but we want to increase our share in that market, given its sugar shortage" .
From May 9th to 11th at the Palais des Congrès of Montreal, Colombians will have a country stand, with the support of PROCOLOMBIA, where they will offer products like turrones (candies), special coffee, chocolate, sugar and healthy snacks.
Repostería El Astor Café Liofilizado Buendía Ingenio Risaralda Ciamsa Del Alba South Commerce Group Mayaguez Dipsa Food and Grupo Tayronaca will attend the event.
Juliana Dorronsoro, Assistant Manager of Del Alba, a company from Cali, indicated that her company will present a sample of healthy snacks, like baked soybean and macadamia nut. " This is the first time we attend the Sial, and it is the right timing, due to the FTA and because we know that the consumer tendency is focusing on that type of products" .
Dipsa Food Bogotá will also participate with healthy snacks. It will present nutritional food with dehydrated and tropical fruits, such as cereal bars. " We have never exported, but as a result of the FTA, we validated the customs tariffs and we can gain access with no tariffs" indicated Luz Marina Rojas Pacheco.
This is even the first participation of other companies at international fairs. This is the case of Repostería El Astor from Medellín. " We will offer turrones (candies), chocolate bars and fruit caramel" , explained Mario Roberto Salcedo. Although this company was founded 82 years ago, this year they made the decision to become a global company, taking advantage of the FTA. " Market conditions have changed and the new vision is to offer the brand outside Medellin. To do so, we selected Canada, but we are also looking at Chile as a market option" , indicated Salcedo.
The national participation is framed within the strategy led by PROCOLOMBIA ' A Taste of Colombian Flavors' , and the message it conveys at international fairs is to ' Discover why Colombian' s Flavors are tasted globally' .
Based on information of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Tourism with Dane data, Colombia exported USD$ 614.4 million in 2011 - 15.5% more than 2010. The agro-industry sector was among the ones that reported the highest growth, with sales totalling USD$ 77.9 million, which implied a 43.2% increase with respect to the prior year.
Exploratory mission in Toronto and Montreal
In line with Colombia' s participation at the 2012 Sial, a group of nine Colombian companies will explore the Canadian market from May 7th to 11th, together with PROCOLOMBIA, to validate the Colombian food offer in the Canadian market to better benefit from the FTA with the right product.
They will first travel to Toronto to attend the Bakery Showcase 2012 fair, which is specialized in the breadmaking and pastrycook industry, and they will then attend the Sial exhibition in Montreal.
Likewise, they will visit the main distribution channels and will engage in discussions about consumption tendencies, the best way of doing business, access requirements and all aspects related to logistics to successfully enter the market with their products.
Mountain Food, Productos Alimenticios Santillana, Agritec, Flor de Apia, Agrícola La Corsaria, Ecoherbs, Logotipos y Chocolates, Prodisabor and Eshkol Premium Foods will attend the event.
