Tropical food producers seek more markets

Producers of tropical food products such as desiccated coconut, banana chips and dried mango are looking at penetrating the Europe, North America, South America and Middle East export markets, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said.

In a statement, the DTI said food companies that participated at the recently- concluded Anuga 2007 trade fair in Germany attracted interest from foreign buyers.

According to the Trade department, local food companies have been supplying dried-fruit ingredients such as desiccated coconuts and banana chips for multinationals in cereal and confectionary businesses.

In Germany, Philippine food products like canned pineapples, canned tuna, mango balls and prawn crackers are being sold in supermarkets and several retail stores. “We are making our move towards placing our products in its rightful shelves in the global market,” Oliver Sio, managing director of Primex Coco Products Inc., said.

“We are already supplying Philippine ingredients to world-class brands. Hopefully soon enough, we supply the market with our own world-class Filipino brands,” he added. Philippine products displayed at the Anuga 2007 are processed fruit products from Amley Food Corp., B-G Fruits and Nuts Manufacturing Corp., El Coco Manufacturing and Trading Corp., and See’s International Food Manufacturing; coconut-derived products from Celebes Coconut Corp., and Primex Coco Products, Inc.; fish and seafood items from Alliance Tuna International Inc., and Mega Fishing Corp.; and branded/consolidated food products from Florence Foods Corp., Oceanic Exports (Manila), Inc., Fortress Food Manufacturing Corp., KSK Food Products, Pacific Isles International Trading Corp., and Philippine Grocers Food Exports, Inc.

Filipino food products have continuously garnered attention from trade buyers at Anuga.

In the past, the lambanog and the Arengga vinegar were cited in the trade fair as “Best Food Innovations” while in 2005, niche products such as tuna, ethnic food, and coconut and banana chips accounted for around $24 M in sales. The Philippines promotes food products in Germany through Anuga, where the country has gained success in terms of sales generated, number of international buyers who showed interest, and the number of Filipino food items recognized in this event throughout the years since 1983.

Anuga is the world’s biggest and most important food and beverage trade fair participated in by more than 160,000 visitors from over 170 countries.