CBI-supported businesses find the right connections at Fruit Logistica
This year, CBI presented carefully selected quality suppliers from Guatemala, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica and Jordan. The location: Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Germany, from 5-7 April 2022. Fruit Logistica is the world’s largest fresh produce trade fair. CBI-coached companies from the recently finished Agrofood Moldova project were also at the trade fair. All the companies successfully showcased their products. Estuardo Cobo, Manager at Amadeo Export from Guatemala, commented, “The fair was a great way to meet new clients and reconnect with others that I had not seen due to the pandemic.”
Central American success
This year, CBI presented 4 companies from the CBI Connecting Central America project. These were Panafruit offering papaya from Panama, Amadeo Export with mangoes from Guatemala, Agrícola Antar with okra from Honduras, and Tropifoods, offering cassava, sweet potato and more, from Costa Rica. All 4 companies had a great time at Fruit Logistica and got lots of quality leads. Hormoz Safi And Maryan Safi, the father and daughter behind Panafruit, even made plans to go into business with a company they met in Berlin just a week after the trade fair.
Estuardo Cobo, Manager at Amadeo Export, was very happy with what he had achieved during the 3-day trade fair. He met all the goals he had set. “The best thing about this year’s Fruit Logistica has been meeting new companies and reconnecting with clients that I have not seen due to the pandemic. I also found clients that want to start doing business and 2 possible partners that I want to invest in.” Estuardo also said that during this edition of Fruit Logistica, he explored possible new markets to export to.
When it comes to finding the right clients, Estuardo was very grateful for CBI’s help. “It can be very difficult sometimes to figure out which companies are the right ones to do business with; the CBI experts really help with that. That type of knowledge about the market is something money cannot buy.”
Business export coaching expert Piet Schotel also sees the value for importers in choosing CBI-supported companies, “CBI prepares companies for the EU market. Importers who choose to work with these companies know beforehand that they are reliable and professional.”
The King of Dates
Jordan has a competitive advantage as a supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables. This is due to the extended production season in the Jordan Valley, and because of how close it is to Europe. The country is known for its high-quality strawberries and capsicum. But Jordan has another gem to offer, the premium Medjool date, also called the King of Dates. The Jordan Exporters and Producers Association (JEPA) stand stood out yet again during this edition of Fruit Logistica. This year, it showcased 7 CBI-supported companies offering delicious Medjool dates. Many potential clients and buyers stopped by to sample the exceptional quality and meet with the companies.
Tamer Abu Jodom from Five Dates commented, “being back at a trade fair has been amazing. I have met many people who want to import to the European market, and I have gained good leads.” He adds, “Fruit Logistica is not just about selling your product or finding new leads. It is about networking with similar companies and competitors to see whether there are opportunities to work together.”
Knowing what makes your company different is very important when attending a trade fair. Tamer says that through the CBI Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Jordan project, he learned how to differentiate his company and compete in the market.
Ready to take business to the next level
Moldova is a fertile country with a long tradition of fruit production. Using modern technologies, fruits grown and exported from this country include apples, grapes, cherries, apricots, plums and other stone fruits. During the past 5 years, CBI has been working in Moldova with local Fruit Producers and Exporters Association Moldova Fruct. In the 2018-2021 CBI Agrofood Moldova project, 18 fresh fruit producers, fruit processors and honey producers were coached to meet EU market requirements, improve production practices and enter the EU market. At this year’s Fruit Logistica, some of the companies CBI coached attended with Moldova Fruct.
Valeria Caduc, Manager at SMARTA, took part in the CBI project. Her company offers a variety of apples. She expresses how helpful the project was for her business, “CBI helped us take our business to the next level with market research and an export plan.” Valerie went to fairs with her business before she joined the CBI project and got a few customers. But she really saw a difference when she went to fairs after taking CBI’s advice. “We did market research and understood where our product fits in the market. This really helped us get more prospects and customers.” This year, she attended the fair without CBI, “but I had the knowledge I gained from the project. I met some potential buyers and spoke to contacts I already had. CBI gave us the confidence to take our business to the next level.”
Iurie Fala, Executive Director of Moldova Fruct, looks back at a successful collaboration with CBI. “CBI helped the companies in the project professionalise their businesses, enter new markets and be prepared for challenges. This year, there are companies at Fruit Logistica that CBI supported. You can see they are very professional.”
Import opportunities
Would you like to know more about these companies and possible import opportunities?
- Contact the Connecting Central America project companies by sending an email to cca@cbi.eu.
- To contact the Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Jordan project companies, send an email to agriculture@cbi.eu.
- To find out more about the Agrofood Moldova companies, visit the Moldova Fruct website or send an email to agriculture@cbi.eu.