About 20 Brazilian products were taken to one of the largest food and beverage fairs in the world, SIAL, in Toronto.

The exotic and different flavors of the Amazon, such as açaí, cupuaçu, and tambaqui ribs were present, as well as other typical Brazilian products in their premium version: pão de queijo (cheesy bread), coxinha (dough with creamy chicken filling), paçoca (specialty peanut candy), cashew nut, pupunha heart of palm, honey, popcorn, amongst others. If the list already makes one starve, there was an even greater appetite for making new contacts and expanding trade relations between Brazilians and Canadians.

Both countries have complementary characteristics and objectives. Brazil is a world power in agribusiness technology; the largest producer of items such as soybeans, cotton, corn, and animal protein. Its food industry is internationally recognized as a strong brand, both in quality and diversity.

Canada, in turn, wants to reduce US trade dependence year by year and is extremely open to new things.

“Brazilian entrepreneurs in the food industry usually look for the foreign market only when the domestic market is unsatisfactory. When they realize the scenario is picking up, they forget exports. We need to change, because that’s one of the main complaints from Canadians,” said Luis Ramos, executive director of Dacolor, representative of national brands abroad, which was present at SIAL.

And if it depends on CCBC’s work, the country is on its way to that, being able to further diversify the channels for its product offerings.

“The CCBC staff has always been attentive to generating business. They would not let me stop working. When they saw that I had free time at the event, they would schedule extra meetings with potential clients so that I could take full advantage of the opportunities,” said Anna Bastos, a partner at B21 Importação e Exportação, another company participating in the mission.

CCBC’s trade mission attended not only the SIAL Toronto fair but also at CHFA Montreal, which focuses on organic and natural products.

One of the highlights of the program was the two dinners prepared for Canadian buyers in Toronto and Montreal. The menus were developed by Chef Mariana Valentini, using the products promoted by the Brazilian participants.

In addition, an average of 14 meetings was held per company plus 5 technical visits to retailers and food distributors in both cities. Alongside Dacolor and B21, CCBC’s mission included Isis Mel, São Cassiano Pupunha, and GC5 Trading, which are specialized in enabling customized foreign trade operations.

 

Learn more about SIAL’s experience through the attendees

ISIS: In Canada, the price is often in the background

Leader in the Brazilian honey and derivatives industry, with over 30 years of experience; supplier of companies such as Kellogg’s, Mondelez International, and Pepsi; exports to North America, Europe, and Asia, known in the US as AlphaBee.

“Canada is a market where the price is often in the background. Companies are mainly looking for products that respect ethics, sustainability, and social issues, that use renewable resources and are carbon-free. In Brazil, this concern is usually only in specific niches.”

“What made CCBC stand out was the infrastructure. We had a special room with space to talk and negotiate with potential partners, as well as to store samples and store marketing material.”

“One of Brazil’s advantages is the availability of extensive areas for the production of organic honey, especially in the North and Northeast regions. One of the prerequisites for honey to be certified organic is that the apiary is a few kilometers away from any area where pesticides are used in agriculture.”

Speech by Piero de Sá, Isis Director of Internal Markets

SÃO CASSIANO: 50 kilos of heart of palm for the public to taste

Pupunha heart of palm cultivated in the centenary Fazenda São Cassiano, in Jaú (State of São Paulo), since the 1980s. Pioneer company in the cultivation of gourmet pupunha in the state, without preservatives. They market the precooked product in the shape of hearts, boats, carpaccio, and spaghetti.

“There are people from Spain, Germany, India, many countries. It’s very interesting to understand the differences, see how products are presented in all these places.”

“I attended meetings, business roundtables. The dinners promoted by CCBC at the Brazilian Gastronomy Week were decisive for Canadians to know the products better. I sent 50 kilos of heart of palm for the public to taste.”

“The predominant heart of palm in Canada originates from Ecuador and is rich in sodium and stabilizers, with low acceptance by Canadians. My product is different; it goes through a process called pasteurization, without sodium or additives. This ensures a fresh and tasty heart of palm, with a healthy appeal that is so important to the local market.”

“Canadians are demanding in quality and commitment to a long-term export project. I decided to do business with a company to import and represent the brand there.”

Speech by Fernando Oliveira, São Cassiano Pupunha’s CEO

B21: This healthier vision is appealing to Canadians

Specialized in Brazilian premium products. It operates in foreign trade projects, in the development of trade and logistics partnerships, and in the construction of international trade relations in the most different segments.

“CCBC’s organization and support for the mission stood out. Their team was focused on helping to do business. We got help mapping competitors in Canada, getting to know potential partners, being aware of the law.”

“Canada needs to import food, the public has high purchasing power and, with the Canadian dollar more valued than the real, our product is competitive.”

“We have vegan chocolate, organic cocoa, popcorn, and paçoca without preservatives. This healthier vision is appealing to Canadians. We already had paçoca orders, and now we are adjusting the packaging for the local market.”

Speech by Anna Bastos, B21 Importação e Exportação’s partner

DACOLOR: Several businesses have emerged and are emerging from the mission-created network

With over 20 years of market and offices in the USA, Canada, and China; represents brands from different segments, such as food and beverage, pharmaceutical, and construction; works in sales, trade marketing, consulting, business plans, among others.

“Our products left Guarulhos and were cleared by Canadian customs authority within 24 hours. CCBC’s performance was essential to the success of the logistics for sending samples, which, by being food, are delicate and require a lot of care.”

“Several businesses have emerged and are emerging from such mission-created network. Due to the results at SIAL, two companies are in contact with us for representation in Canada.”

“From Canada, there have been opportunities in the US market, as many distributors operating in the Canadian market are based in the US.”

“The food industry also drives the cosmetics market, with raw materials from the Atlantic Forest and the Amazon, such as Açaí, that has many benefits.”

“As indicated by CCBC, we registered ourselves at the corporate stand of the Ministry of Agriculture, which facilitated contacts, the product exhibition project, and the tasting. Without it, there would be no way to promote the tasting at the event.”

Speech by Luis Ramos, Executive Director at Dacolor