PHILIPPINE companies made $1.98 million in sales at the ASEAN Food and Beverage fair in Tokyo last month, making up six percent of the $31 million Southeast Asian exhibitors made, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) reported.The sales, up 151 percent from $785,682 chalked up by Philippine exhibitors at last year’s expo, placed the Philippines sixth among the 10 participating members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in terms of sales generated, said CITEM, a unit of the Departmentof Trade and Industry.
The expo had 32 T small- and medium-sized enterprises participating. Three were from the Philippines:namely, GEM Foods International, which makes nata decoco and macapuno strings; Toscana Food Industry, producer of “dilis” fish and squid; and J. Emmanuel Pastries, maker of pili nut delicacies.
Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Felicitas Agoncillo-Reyes, CITEM executive director, said the three companies were at 103 of 700 trade meetings held at the expo, which was organized by the ASEAN Japan Center.
Reyes said that the Philippine participants were compliant with the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point(HACCP) standards and well informed about export procedures.
She said Gem Foods closed deals with Singapore’s ASimple Life restaurant group, which includes Fish &Co., on supply of coco cream for a special noodle dish called “laksa.”
Toscano Food caught the attention of Singapore-based Tong Garden, which specializes in nuts and party snacks, and which expressed interest in Philippine goodies in its product line-up, Reyes said.
A Malaysian confectionery company offered to team upwith J. Emmanuel Pastries on the use pili nuts as new ingredient for chocolate products and other sweets.
Citing data showed that Japan imports 60 percentof its food supply worth $44 billion.
Philippine exporters should increase efforts to tap overseas markets and promote uniquely Filipino products.
-Ronnel Domingo INQ7.net
INQ Interactive, Inc.
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