The company’s first contact with Arab importers took place during a trade fair in Germany and the Aladim brand name, which is the Portuguese language version of one of the most famous characters in the tales of the One Thousand and One Nights, ended up opening doors and winning the hearts of Arab buyers.
“The name attracts much attention at trade fairs, and most importers always ask whether the company’s owners are Arab descendents,” says Maitane Mathias, export manager of Aladim.
According to her, the company, founded approximately 25 years ago, was called Doce Bom up until 2001, when one of its products, a lollipop named Aladim, was so successful that it became the flagship product, and led the owners to change the brand’s name.
The name change seems to have brought good luck to the company’s business, because it coincided with the start of foreign sales. “The first-ever exports went to African and South American countries. Then came sales to Europe, and more recently to the Arab countries,” says Maitane.
According to her, the partnership with Arab importers shows promising signs and should soon lead to new contracts with three other countries in the region. “We are negotiating with Lebanon, Mauritania and Morocco,” she claims.
As a strategy for ensuring new contacts abroad, the company usually attends the main trade fairs for the industry, such as Anuga, in Germany; Gulfood, in the United Arab Emirates; and Sial, in France. “Next October we are going to the Sial, where we usually meet many Arab importers as well,” claims the manager.
The company, based in the municipality of Mirassol, in the interior of the state of São Paulo, generates 100 direct jobs and produces an average 50 tons of sweets per day.
Nuts
Exporting Brazil nuts, whole, in pieces, or granulated, company Amêndoas do Brasil has been conquering the Arab market with the typical Brazilian cashew nut since 2003.
The company based in the state of Ceará already exports to Lebanon, Syria and Qatar, the former being its main Arab buyer. Even though the market represents only 5% to 7% of the company’s foreign sales, the growth that was achieved over seven years is quite expressive: 86% increase since the first sale to the Arabs.
According to Foreign Trade manager Simone Vasconcelos, presently, the company exports 500 tons of nut a year to the Arabs, generating US$ 1.5 million in revenues.
Amêndoas do Brasil has already taken part in three trade fairs in Dubai and, according to Simone, it intends to participate in other events geared towards food importers in the region.
The company sells nuts mainly to food distributing companies operating in the wholesale market, and also to pastry shops.
Simone explains that nut consumption in the Arab countries is on the rise, but that there still is a lack of knowledge of the Brazilian capacity to produce and supply the product.
“The perspective is one of good deals, provided that there is an opportunity for promotion, because the market has high standards, and requires products with differentiated presentation, as well as steady suppliers,” says the executive.
Service
Aladim
Telephone: (+55 17) 3242-3273
E-mail: aladim@aladim.ind.br
Site: www.aladim.ind.br
Amêndoas do Brasil
Simone Vasconcelos
E-mail: simone@amendoasdobrasil.com.br
Tel.: +55 85 3288-7071
Anba