Published on: Monday, Mon, 11 Mar 2024 ● 3 Min Read
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, March 11, 2024 -- Ten Costa Rican companies in the food industry and The Trade and Investment Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER) will participate in the FOODEX 2024 fair with the aim of positioning and diversifying, through an Essential Costa Rica stand, the exportable offer of products with high added value such as: rum, roasted coffee, cocoa and chocolates, hot sauces, and dehydrated and frozen pineapple.
From March 5 to 8, the 49th edition of the event - considered one of the most important international fairs in the sector on the Asian continent - will take place in Tokyo, Japan, and will be attended by more than 70,000 people from 55 countries.
This year, the national delegation is formed by companies of various sizes and from different regions of the country including: La Paz Frozen Fruits, Costa de Oro Internacional S.A., Tropical Paradise Fruits, Gourmet Fields, Todo Natural, Florida Products, El Gusto Foods, Fructa CR, Smile!, It's Costa Rican Coffee, and Ron Centenario, El Ron de Costa Rica.
"With our participation in the FOODEX 2024 fair, we are embracing a new opportunity to diversify the export markets for the Costa Rican food industry in Asia, a market with high purchasing power and whose consumer profile demands products with excellent quality and high added value," said Mario Saenz, PROCOMER Export Development Manager.
Miguel Ángel Sequeira Torres, Global Ambassador of the Ron Centenario brand, stated "we're really happy to be part of the PROCOMER-Costa Rica stand at the FOODEX 2024 fair. As a company that has Essential Costa Rica country brand recognition, we are committed to making our country visible in international markets. Our business objective, for this and the other international fairs in which we participate, is to keep expanding our exports and continue with the positioning of Ron Centenario as a global brand."
Olga Cole, General Manager of Fructa CR, added that "for the second consecutive year we have participated at FOODEX Japan thanks to the support of PROCOMER, with the purpose of bringing our offer of tropical, natural, and healthy products to the Asian continent. We aim to reach new customers with our products while diversifying our market, confident that the high quality and variety of our products will allow us to meet our objectives. Participation is also an opportunity for us to get to know the market with a view to developing innovative products according to the preferences and habits of Asian consumers."
Prior to the start of the fair, the national delegation visited various points of sale in Tokyo with the aim of becoming familiar with the main supermarket chains, consumption habits, and trends for Japanese buyers.
In addition, as part of PROCOMER's support for participating companies, advice was provided regarding logistics for the event and on cultural matters for optimally conducting business during the visit to the Japanese market. PROCOMER also provided digital tools that make it possible to publicize the products offered and facilitate their exposure to potential buyers.
"The Asian market is of utmost relevance for Costa Rica. Proof of this is that Japan, for example, is the second most important trading partner for Costa Rica in Asia. For this reason, our participation in FOODEX 2024 is vital to continue positioning ourselves in this market," Sáenz concluded.