Designers.

"We're all designers who share the same belief in the mixture of modern sensibility and Asian sensitivity to craftsmanship and natural materials," - Kenneth Cobonpue

We recently visited "designers" an exhibit of the Philippine Design Center at the Metropolitan Museum. Tita Nanette, a friend from the design center invited our team to view some of the new pieces by Pinoy designers, all transforming their dream ideas into wonderful art forms.

Here's a peek. Some of them have joined CITEM shows in one way or another. Exhibit's on view until Aug. 23 (:

A Blog Comeback

After a couple of months on a break, we are bringing this blog back to keep our SME clients and friends posted with scoops, trends, and news bits about the industry.

And we begin with our green theme. The green light is on for Asia's Best Design Destination -- the Manila FAME International. This chair made of recycled paper is just a teaser on how eco-design inspirations take centerstage in this manufacturers' fair for design-driven products.

Watch out for more green designs on October 16-19, SMX Convention Center, Manila.

Tap new markets outside US, buyers urge exporters

By Ronnel Domingo
Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines -- The Foreign Buyers’ Association of the Philippines has urged exporters to take advantage of the strong peso by tapping new markets outside the United States, especially China.

Manuel Melgar, head of the association’s training department, said Filipino exporters could also take advantage of the appreciating local currency by sending out raw materials.

To view the whole story, click here

Filipino ebusiness Catalog Online connects SMEs to buyers

MANILA, Sept 4, 2007 (Asia In Focus via COMTEX) -- Avirtual showroom of Filipino products and services -Catalog online (COL) served as a marketing conduit forsome 2,860 small and medium enterprises (SMEs)generating 456 local and foreign buyers in the firsthalf of this year. Catalog Online is a government-runwebsite exclusive for clients of the Centre forInternational Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM),where buyers can access basic information on companyprofiles and exportable products.

* COL features the country's best in the food, giftsand holiday decor, home furnishings, industrial goodsand services, IT and IT-enabled services, organic,herbal and natural products, and wearable industries.

* Meanwhile, COL's ebusiness twin, the CITEM TradeOpportunities Program (CTOP), is a year-roundmarket-match service where registeredcompany-exhibitors regularly receive a listing ofinterested buyers by email.

Click CATALOG ONLINE

CITEM to bring game development to Singapore

By Alex Villafania, hackenslash Reporter
INQUIRER.net

THE CENTER for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) has tied up with the Game Development Association of the Philippines (GDAP) to showcase the country’s game development industry to the upcoming Games Convention Asia (GCA) 2007 in Singapore.

GCA will be held in Suntec Singapore International Convention Center from September 6 to 9 and will be attended by dozens of game development companies from across Asia.

To view the whole story, click THIS

Trade shows give market insights, bring together potential partners and SMEs --food exporters

“Every show that local companies attended locally andabroad is always successful, not only in terms of the sales generated, but also in terms of the new business contacts, market insights, technological info, valuable experience, and new friendships gained,” saidLucky Fortune Foods Corp. CEO Eduardo Escaño. "Accepting the invitation of government to join foodexhibits abroad should not be missed.”

Food exporters recently identified the key importance of joining trade fairs and missions and the market opportunities they presented in the Market Information Exchange (MIX). The event serves as a knowledge-sharing platform on the results of the international participation of Philippine food exporters in selected trade fairs and business missions, held from the second half of the year 2006 to the first half of 2007. These include the Philippine Food Festival in (Russia), Salon International de l'Agroalimentaire International (Paris), Food Marketing Institute Show (Chicago, USA),Food Roadshow to the Middle East UAE Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain), Thailand Food Exhibition, Food Business Mission (New Zealand), and Taipei Food Show.Some of the key markets discussed during the forum were New Zealand, Russia, Middle East and the United States.

“New Zealand’s feature as an English-speaking country having similar business practices with the US makes it a good market for local food companies. And because we can adapt to its food regulations, we are now exporting fresh mango, banana, pineapple, and papaya products to them for years,” explained Roberto Amores, President of Hi-las Marketing Corporation and Director of PHILEXPORT.

According to Annie Moreno, Export Manager of theRepublic Biscuit Corporation, “Local manufacturers can join international trade fairs on their own but if they want to maximize their participation, they should join CITEM and DA. These government agencies have partners abroad that will help them in terms of business-matching, market development strategies, and extensive promotion.” Last year, 1,876 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) generated US$ 281 million export sales by attending 32 CITEM-organized participation in trade fairs and missions, opening up new market opportunities for these local companies.

NZ, Russia, ME, US eyed as new key markets for RP food exports

The government and the private sector are looking at New Zealand, Russia, the Middle East and the United States as new key markets for the country’s food exports.

“New Zealand’s feature as an English-speaking country having similar business practices with the US makes it a good market for local food companies,” Roberto Amores, president of Hi-las Marketing Corp. and a director of Philexport, the umbrella group of the country’s exporters, told participants of the recently concluded Market Information Exchange (MIX). He said the Philippines is currently selling fresh mango, banana, pineapple and papaya products to New Zealand because of the Philippine companies’ ability to adapt to its stringent food regulation.

The Russian food and beverage sector was also identified as an area of opportunity given the industry’s annual growth rate of 20 percent. In fact, it is expected to grow into a 350 billion euro industry by 2010. Russia has 2,600 supermarkets, 92 hypermarkets, and thousands of convenience stores where Filipino food products can be displayed and sold.

The Middle East, on the other hand, has been identified as one of the most interesting world markets because of its $12 billion food industry and the million-strong overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the region.

In the United States, the specialty foods’ retail market size is now valued at $34 billion, growing at 15.1 percent, primarily through supermarkets and mass merchants. Major food trends in this country include convenient foods with extreme portability and one-handed eating/drinking, foods with Asian flavors, and foodstuffs with various health benefits.

Based on industry statistics, the food sector contributes in boosting Philippine export revenues, creating jobs, and helping grow the economy.

Last year, local food exports reached $1.82 billion, a 10.4 percent increase from $1.65 billion in 2005. The country has 3,000 food and beverage establishments, employing a workforce of about 188,000.

In an attempt to further grow the food export industry, the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the trade promotions agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), together with the Philippine Trade Training Center, Bureau of Export Trade Promotion, and the Department of Agriculture (DA), organized MIX, a knowledge-sharing platform on the results of the international participation of Philippine food exporters in selected trade fairs and business missions.

Source:

The Philippine Star, 17 August 2007, Business section (Ma. Elisa P. Osorio)