Manila Fame Int'l stages design coup

MANILA F.A.M.E. International, the second-longest running tradeshow for home furnishings, houseware, holiday décor and fashion accessories in the Asia Pacific region, stages a design coup in 2007 as it taps several of the country’s top designers for its Merchandise Development Consultancy Program (MDCP): Tony Gonzales, Tes Pasola, Reimon Gutierrez, Darwin Avilles, Chito Prieto and Joyce Oreña, with overall creative direction by Milo Naval who is one of the founding members of Movement 8, a consortium of top Filipino furniture designers.

MDCP was introduced in 1997, paving the way for local and foreign designers to work closely with the country’s local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to develop globally competitive products. This unique collaboration has helped Manila F.A.M.E. International establish a brand that is synonymous with outstanding design, quality and innovation.

Launched in 1983, Manila F.A.M.E. International is the only trade fair in the Philippines recognized by the Union Des Foires Internationales (UFI), the union of the world’s leading tradeshow organizers, fairground owners and major international associations from the exhibitions industry.

Organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), the export promotions agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the fair is held twice a year (April and October), and each edition brings new surprises with its Spring and Fall collections.

For many years, Manila F.A.M.E. International has always provided a winning edge— exceptional creativity, fine craftsmanship, well-selected merchandise not found anywhere, and personalized customer service—making it on top of the must-see shows in the region’s trade fair circuit.

George Beylerian, president and founder of Materials ConnexXion in New York, says that, “coming to the Philippines is like an instant magnetic affair! The country has an enormous talent bank, an incredible wealth of materials and good commercial common sense.”

Today, Philippine products can be found in well-appointed showrooms and upscale shops worldwide, as buyers from top companies such as William Sonoma, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Armani Casa, Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Pottery Barn, Harrods, Target, Marks and Spencer, and Banana Republic, among many others, troop to Manila every April and October.

The next Manila F.A.M.E. International will be held on April 18 to 21 in 5 venues: the World Trade Center, East Pavilion, Philippine Trade Training Center, and the Forum and Reception Hall of the Philippine International Convention Center. It is open to the public on the last day.For more information, log on to

www.manilafame.com or e-mail hardgoods@citem.com.ph or softgoods@citem.com.ph.

Source: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/feb/25/yehey/weekend/20070225week3.html

Local companies urged to tap US’ specialty food market

Local food manufacturers are urged by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotions body of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), to link with established US food buyers and learn first hand insights into consumer preferences.

"The specialty foods’ retail market size in US is now US$ 34 billion, growing at 15.1%, primarily through supermarkets and mass merchants," said Trade Assistant Secretary and CITEM Executive Director Felicitas Agoncillo-Reyes. "Condiments are the largest in this food category, representing 21% of the specialty food sales. On the other hand, yogurt and kefir, followed by juices and functional beverages, are the fastest growing specialty foods." She also mentioned that there are more than 1,000 specialty beverages launched in US alone.

On May 6-8, the Philippines will join the FMI Show at Chicago, Illinois. It is an event in North America where the world’s top food retailers and wholesalers come together every year to learn the latest tools for expanding market reach, keeping business on the cutting edge, and meeting the demands of busy consumers.

Agoncillo-Reyes noted that this is the first time Philippines will join the FMI Show. The local food companies’ participation in this food fair is said to be a follow-up event to the Philippine Food Business Mission to East and West Coasts, USA held last November 2004, as the US mainstream market continues to be a vital goal for Philippine food exports.

Market trends in US include convenient foods with extreme portability and one-handed eating/drinking (based on a growing number of consumers who snack while driving), foods with Asian flavors (i.e. pairings of fiery and cool ingredients, sweet and spicy, tart and salty), and foodstuffs with various health benefits (as 70% of US adults are trying to eat nutritional foods).

The new FMI Show is combined with Marketechnics, the industry’s foremost showcase of retail technology. It is where supermarket and other retail industry professionals learn how the latest information technology can improve efficiencies, lower costs, and increase productivity.This fair is also co-located with four big industry events: the Fancy Food Show, All Things Organic, US Food Export Showcase, and the United Produce Expo. Last year, these combined shows created an excellent market of 1,800 exhibitors with 150,000 food products, attracting 30,000 trade professionals.

Products that will be promoted in the FMI Show are fresh tropical/processed fruits, packaged food, fresh/processed vegetables, canned meat, value-added marine products, restaurant meals, and specialty foods such as delicatessen sauces and seasonings, confectionery, and snack products.

The Food Marketing Institute, the organizer of the FMI Show, is the leading representative and resource for food retailers and wholesalers worldwide, with 2,300 member companies in more than 60 countries. FMI’s US members operate approximately 26,000 retail food stores with a combined annual sales volume of US$ 340 billion—three quarters of all food retail stores in the United States.

For information on joining the Philippine delegation to the FMI Show in Chicago, please call CITEM, Agri-Marine Division at 831-1282, 831-2201 locals. 204 and 238 or e-mail: agrimarine@citem.com.ph.

Local personal care industry gears up for Japan venture

The Philippine local personal care industry is eyeing Japan as a market for personal care products with indigenous ingredients, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) reported yesterday.

Filipino products that use indigenous ingredients like alum (tawas), lawat, gugo and calamansi as well as the virgin coconut oil (VCO) have strong potential in the Japanese market, said Wakaba Nishida, a Japanese health and wellness expert who visited Manila and conducted seminar-training to Filipino exporters on entry tips for personal care products into Japan. The seminar was held during the National Trade Fair, a subcontractors’ fair for small enterprises from the regions.

“The Philippines, with its wealth of indigenous ingredients, is well positioned to take advantage of these market opportunities,” said Trade Assistant Secretary Fe Agoncillo-Reyes, executive director of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM). CITEM and the Asean-Japan Center co-organized the personal care seminar.

To date, Philippine VCO is enjoying wide market acceptance as ingredient for cosmetic and personal care products like soaps, lotions, massage oils, beauty creams and shampoos aside from its therapeutic qualities.

According to the latest figures by the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), VCO exports rose from 1.8 metric tons in 2001 to 475 metric tons in 2005, which was worth more than $1.6M. The United States accounted for 93.79% of the deliveries. Aside from the US, Australia and Canada are the countries clamoring for the natural oil. And soon, maybe Japan.

Industry statistics showed that health and wellness is a 125-billion-dollar industry in Europe and in the US combined. “And still, the demand for organic and natural personal care products in the world market is expected to grow at remarkable rates: 34% in Europe, 30% in the US and 18% in Japan,” Agoncillo-Reyes added.

Meanwhile, Nishida also discussed the quality standards of the Japanese market including packaging and exporting.

Among those included in her lecture were labeling information, shipment processes, and packaging standards. As part of the lecture, she showed samples of other international brands currently making waves in the Japanese market like Shiseido, Clinique and Albion. She also made a list of the essential documents and certifications needed when making contact with interested Japanese buyers/importers.

The seminar also served as a primer for this year’s BIO-Search (the government’s health and wellness show) in conjunction with International Food Exposition (IFex) 2007, as it gathered SMEs who will participate as exhibitors in the upcoming trade fair. BIO-Search, a health and wellness show, will be held on May 18–20.

“The Philippines has the potential to become the prime source of personal care products in the global market. All we need is a push,” Assistant Secretary Agoncillo–Reyes stated.

The Japanese consultants’ 5-day mission in Manila included a 2-day on-site visit to four companies to discuss their products, namely: Elixir Pacific International Corporation (centrifuge-method virgin coconut oil), RCC Amazing Touch (wart and mole removers, natural cashew-based hair and beauty care products), Rainiers Research & Development Institute (tawas, gugo and calamansi personal care products), and Pascual Laboratories Incorporated (flavored herbal teas).

Ms. Nishida—who was invited by Assistant Trade Director of the ASEAN–Japan Centre Mr. Go Matsuura—is the President and CEO of Ayus, Inc. in Japan. After running her own spa for 10 years and drawing expertise in the field, she now specializes in importing health and wellness products and conducts trainings for the spa industry in Japan.

180 agri-firms to participate in government food show

Department of Agriculture joins as IFEX’s industry partner

The Department of Agriculture, through its Agri-business Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), is targeting around 180 food companies in the farming industry to participate in the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines on May 18-20 at the World Trade Center, Manila.

“As an industry partner of IFEX 2007, we aim to broaden the production and the market of agricultural products coming from the different regions of the country,” said Francisco Ramos III, Director of DA-AMAS. “We assist IFEX every year by co-hosting the buyer reception and inviting more exhibitors through Department of Agriculture’s regional field units that produce fish, poultry and livestock, rice and corn, and high-value commercial crops.”

DA-AMAS facilitates the preparation of the participating regions by making sure that they meet the criteria set by DTI. This includes substantial volume and quality of food products, BFAD accreditation, certification, and potential to export.

Last year, DA-AMAS represented 180 agrifirms in IFEX, generating roughly a hundred thousand dollars of export sales. They still target the same number of participants for this year’s IFEX but this time, they project to earn a million dollars. “Through this government-led food show, we plan to reach bigger markets in Asia. We are confident that we’re going to attract importers by highlighting our fresh/processed fruits and fresh seafood,” explained Francisco.

Francisco also said that IFEX 2006 helped DA-AMAS’ participants meet hundreds of buyers from Australia, Canada, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, and USA. Also, the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Bicol region was thoroughly promoted last year that many of them are now exporting their finest food products abroad.

When asked how Philippines is competing versus aggressive Southeast Asian countries, Francisco answered: “We have an advantage over other countries when it comes to our agricultural food products’ quality and price. In order to compete better, the government, through DTI and DA-AMAS, is now working on productivity enhancement and volume expansion.”

Latest record from the Department of Agriculture reveals that the sector’s gross value of production was estimated at P815.5 billion, up by 5.65 percent compared to its 2004’s level. The crops subsector registered the largest share at P406.8 billion, while the livestock subsector was valued at P154.2 billion, fishery at P146.8 billion, and poultry at P107.8 billion.

“The participation of DA in this annual food show synchronizes with the government’s efforts in boosting the image of our country as an international source of food and food ideas,” said Trade Assistant Secretary and CITEM Executive Director Felicitas Agoncillo-Reyes. She also said that this year’s IFEX will focus on the concept of ‘Filipino Food in a Global Setting.’

Aside from DA-AMAS, other industry partners of IFEX 2007 will be: Bureau of Export Trade and Promotion (BETP), San Miguel Packaging Products, Department of Science and Technology (DOST)- Packaging R&D Center of the Philippines, and Philippine Trade and Training Center (PTTC).

Last year, IFEX Philippines generated foreign and local sales amounting to a near total of US$ 80 million, almost tripling the 2005 total sales of about US$ 32 million. It also assisted 283 of the country’s food exporters, manufacturers, and consolidators and accompanied 1,332 local and foreign buyers.

IFEX 2007 is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry. For more information on this food fair, please call CITEM, Agri-Marine Division at 831-1282, 831-2201 locals. 204 and 238, e-mail: agrimarine@citem.com.ph or visit www.ifexphilippines.com.

16 Manufacturers, 175 Products, 7 Weeks:

Reflections on a mission to Manila
by William Gordon

Last June through October, I worked in the Philippines through the Filipino Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for an organization called CITEM (Center for Industries and Trade Exports and Missions). CITEM helps and monitors local exporters with factory visits, trade shows and promotion. I designed products for 16 local manufacturers located all over the Philippines, and ended up designing about 175 different products for these companies in a 7-week period. The factories then had 2 months for prototyping and production before they exhibited the products at the biannual Manila F.A.M.E. Internal Trade Show (Furnishings and Accessories Manufacturers Exchange), which occurred October 18th-21st. Out of the over 175 designs I produced, about 100 different products made it to the show. I designed home products including furniture, lighting and various home accessories using a wide variety of natural, indigenous materials.

I worked as a Merchandise Design Consultant (MDC) for Home Products. There is one consultant for each product area represented at the show (including Home Products, Fashion Accessories, and Holiday Décor) and the consultants design special product lines for manufactures represented at the show. These product lines are then introduced at "special setting" exhibit pavilions—also designed by the MDC's. The MDC program was started over 10 years ago to stimulate interest in the Manila F.A.M.E. show (as well as to create a link between manufactures and designers), and several other Asian product shows are now doing their own version of this program after realizing that design is one of the few elements that can keep them from being swallowed up by the Chinese goliath. (The routine is well known now: Small manufacturers in small Asian countries like the Philippines come up with new product designs geared for western buyers. Super low-cost manufacturing in China then quickly rips off the products from these Filipino manufacturers, and the cycle continues.)

The factories which CITEM represents employ approximately 100,000 people all over the Philippines. When you multiply this through an average 5-person family, its economic reach balloons to about a half million people. CITEM produces a F.A.M.E. show in Manila twice a year (once in April and again in October), attracting about 3000 buyers from around the world to see over 500 different exporters. The October Manila F.A.M.E. show I was involved in accounted for over $64 million in total sales. This is a major boon for the Filipino economy, which has seen a sharp drop in foreign direct investment in the past decade (in comparison with its neighbors) because of an unstable government, as well as a sharp rise in competition from its neighbors in consumer goods manufacturing. Southeast Asia is one of the next design frontiers, producing goods that fuse quality with creativity beyond just low cost. For a long time, Southeast Asian design had been relegated to handicrafts and regional products. But now, with the coincident movement toward more handcrafted, high quality products in the home, this region's expertise is being tapped for mid- to high-end products, as many brands grapple with the quality and creativity gap that exist with much of Chinese production.

My experience designing for Filipino manufacturing was one of the most enriching of my life. I learned that people-centered design has a middle component, living between ethnography and interface. Hand manufacturing is the reality in much of the world, and designers, sitting at their desks sending off PDFs to unknown destinations, may be a modern paradigm, but ultimately a hollow one. I would encourage designers to go and visit where their products are made, and, especially, with the people who make them.

for the whole article, please check this: http://www.core77.com/reactor/01.06_citem.asp

Favila pushes for design-driven SMEs

Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Peter B. Favila highlighted the importance of good design to push the growth of the DTI’s revenue streams, especially consumer products like processed food and beverages, fashion, including home style and living.

“The innate creativity of the Filipinos can be an economic asset to differentiate RP products and services and elevate their value in the global market,” said Favila. To complement good design, the DTI also works on assisting the SMEs in quality production, and competitive pricing.

To encourage Philippine SMEs to adopt good design, the DTI will open the National Trade Fair 2007 on March 14-18 at the Megatrade Halls 1-3 of SM Megamall.

In collaboration with the Product Development and Design Center of the Philippines (PDDCP), 1,363 new designs will be introduced during the show using local skills and abundant homegrown materials. The designs are a product of close coordination of the PDDCP designers with the SMEs from conceptualization to prototyping.

Since 2005, the new designs which are a product of careful planning served as an opportunity for the SME to be noticed by local, as well as foreign buyers, making it a start of subcontracting or distributorship agreement with institutional buyers, consolidators, and exporters. “Through the NTF, the DTI purposely manage and exploit the knowledge and passion of individuals to create extraordinary value and wealth,” added Favila.

In NTF’s 200 exhibitors, many SMEs are bringing the crafts of skilled weavers and indigenous artisans that are a representation of timeless traditions that appeals to present-day lifestyle. Some of are the works that will be highlighted during the fair are from T’boli women of South Cotabato, Mangyan Hanunoo, Mangyan Iraya and Mangyana Alangan of Mindoro, Palaw’anon and Tagbanua of Palawan, Higaonon of Bukidnon, Maguindanao Women of Maguindanao, weavers of Negros Oriental, and Bolinao weavers of Pangasinan.

In addition, the growing Philippine trend for health and beauty care has propelled the DTI to work with the ASEAN Japan Centre to bring in Mr. Nishida Wakaba, President of Ayus, Inc., who will conduct a seminar on packaging design for the Japanese market during the show.

The DTI is also enthusiastic that when local products featured in trade fairs like the NTF reach a broader scale, they also have the potential to collectively become a viable export industry.

The NTF last year generated 82.44 million pesos in sales and welcomed 20,000 trade buyers and visitors.
The Philippine SMEs account for 99.6% of the total number of establishments in the country, 60% of all exporters, and 70% of the labor force.

BPO boom fuels property sector

Proximity to top workers and competitive lease prices have lured foreign business process outsourcing firms (BPO) to set up in Manila, according to the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry.

“BPO companies are not only on hiring binges, they are also in need of Grade A office spaces,” said Trade Assistant Secretary Fe Agoncillo-Reyes, executive director of CITEM. “For our commercial real estate developers, this strong demand is welcome.”

The influx of BPO providers and established names like GenPact, e-Telecare, Teletech, IBM-Daksh, Dell, and Ericsson Communication in 2006 is also part of the real estate boom the Philippines had in 2006.

According to a CB Richard Ellis report, a combined total of 120, 200 sq m office spaces have been allocated to new BPO locators in the first semester of 2006 alone and an estimated 60, 000 sq m of office spaces have been addded during the rest of the year.

Examples of the buildings that were leased to BPO firms in 2006 were Net Square and Bonifacio Global City developed by 19-1 Realty; EC IT Center in Mandaluyong by Greenfield; Plaza A, Northgate Cyberzone developed by Filinvest; and Cybergate 1&2 at Mandaluyong developed by Robinsons Land.
A big part of the real estate demand, added Agoncillo-Reyes, is BPO firms who are expanding in Manila.

For 2007, the need for grade A office spaces is being answered by property developers doing “build-to-suit” deals and cyberzones for companies who came to Manila for BPO work.

Ayala Land is developing UP Science and Tech Park in Quezon City. Robinsons Land is developing the cybergate in Mandaluyong City and Robinsons Cyberpark in Libis, Quezon City; Federal Land is spearheading development in the Bay Area, Pasay City and in Bonifacio Global City. Filinvest Land boasts of developing the first IT campus-type of low- to mid-rise buildings. SM Investments Corporation is also joining the bandwagon of developing properties for call centers and BPO like Dell and Teletech. Megaworld has new projects in McKinley Hill and Newport City just to name a few.

“Class A office spaces are not difficult to find these days. The BPO industry’s runaway growth over the years also bring vibrancy to the property sector,” said Agoncillo-Reyes.

For information about BPO/IT sectors, please contact CITEM’s IT Services Division at 831-2201 loc 301 or email itservices@citem.com.ph

Trendy, Tried and Tasted

A random Google search for the definition of the word “trendy” generated over 700,000 results, one of which defines trendy as “what is popular or done by a large number of people at a certain point in time.

Indeed, trends come and go, and what’s in today may not be necessarily so tomorrow. Thus, in this age of global competition, innovation and creativity are crucial for businesses to stay afloat. This holds true for the food business, where a dish is judged not only by the way it tastes but on how it’s presented and packaged, as well.

And the Philippines is not left behind when it comes to food that can pass as trendy. One perfect example is Antonio Pueo Incorporada’s Double Chocolate Oatmeal, which tastes a lot like the rich champorado (chocolate rice porridge) but with the health benefits of oatmeal.

On the other hand, F.D. Gonzales’ packed lunches is a hometown delicacy made more convenient for people on-the-go by using modern packaging technology. Its instant Pinangat (taro leaves stuffed with ground pork and shrimp) and Inulukan (taro leaves stuffed with crab meat and shredded coconut meat) are the kinds of home-cooked meals anyone can enjoy anytime, anywhere.

Gemfoods International Inc. won the hearts of local consumers and even foreign importers for its Muscovado Coated Banana Chips, which, as everyone knows, is a favorite Filipino snack, but made healthier by using muscovado sugar.

True innovation reigns with Nutri-Prime Farms’ Mangosteen Tea, which, as the name implies, uses extracts of real mangosteen fruit to make an absolutely healthy and refreshing drink.

Meanwhile, Sorsogon Food Enterprises’ Lola Conching Vinegar makes for a perfect salad dressing. This salad vinegar is made from coconut nectar, making it truly unique. It comes in five variants: Classic; Tarragon; Tarragon and Coco Honey; Raw Wild Honey and Chili and Ginger.

These hip food items are some of the winners of the Trendy Awards, a recognition given to outstanding Filipino food companies every International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines. IFEX, organized by the Philippine government’s export promotions agency, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (Citem), showcases the best offerings of the Philippine food industry, including fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, packaged food, value-added marine products, specialties such as sauces and seasonings, confectionery and snack products.

More trendy Filipino food ideas and products will be shown at the IFEX Philippines 2007 this coming May 18-20 at the World Trade Center, Manila.

Source: The Manila Times, March 02, 2007

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/mar/02/yehey/life/20070302lif5.html