LOCAL food manufacturers raised $1.8 million or roughly around P90 million in exports sales under negotiation with Japanese buyers during their series of digital business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking events organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem).
During their recent meetings with importers from Japan, the Philippine delegation for FOODEX showcased healthy, organic, and natural food products.
Presented to the health-conscious Japanese market were products, including mango-infused vegetable drink mixes by Business Innovations Gateway Inc.; different coconut-based products by Eau de Coco Inc., Limketkai Manufacturing Corp., and Pasciolco Agri Ventures; snack favorites by Magic Melt Inc.; banana chips by Prime Fruits International and See’s International Mfg. Corp.; fresh cavendish bananas and golden pineapples by SL Agrifood Corp.; and tuna and sardine products by Century Pacific Food and Market Reach International Resources, respectively.
The B2B matchmaking events held in two separate days were the follow throughs to the Philippines’s fully digital participation in the largest food and beverage trade show in the Asian region.
Each company was assisted by a liaison officer and an interpreter to ensure the smooth conduct of a total of 60 meetings.
Japan imported 5.81 trillion Japanese yen-worth of food and beverage products in 2019, and 6.3 trillion Japanese yen in 2020, making the country an ideal partner for Filipino food companies that produce healthy food products.
The pursuit of the Japanese market is part of a larger effort by the Department of Trade and Industry, of which Citem is the export promotions arm, to take advantage of business opportunities in the region.
The virtual meetings were included in the latter’s ongoing initiatives to leverage borderless communication in facilitating trade between the Philippines and potential export markets.
They were conducted in partnership with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Tokyo.
The database used for the B2B matchmaking events was built via a five-year effort by PTIC, which involved intensive information and telemarketing campaigns.
Image courtesy of MIGUEL NACIANCENO