BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
Five Brunei food and beverage (F&B) businesses recently showcased their locally developed products at the ASEAN Trade Fair 2022 to explore new market opportunities and potential partnerships.
Taurean Bakeshop & Cafe, Sabli Food Industries (B) Sdn Bhd, Volco Venture, Bruhouse Sdn Bhd, and Mori Enterprise were selected to represent Brunei, facilitated by Darussalam Enterprise (DARe) in collaboration with the Brunei Embassy in the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the fair organiser, the ASEAN-Korea Centre (AKC).
This year’s ASEAN Trade Fair ran from June 7 to 10 at the Korea International Exhibition Centre (KINTEX) in Ilsan, and was held as part of the Seoul Food & Hotel (SFH) 2022 – the fourth largest F&B industry trade show in Asia, featuring well over a thousand exhibitors annually.
In addition to interacting with prospective business partners throughout the fair from their booths, the Brunei businesses also had one-on-one meetings with potential clients to explore linkages for exportation.
The Ambassador of Brunei
Darussalam to the Republic of Korea, Her Excellency Pengiran Hjh Nooriyah PLW Pg Hj Yussof said Brunei’s participation is timely as activity picks up in the postCOVID-19 pandemic economic landscape.
“The ASEAN Trade Fair this year is especially significant as it is the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that our MSMEs are able to participate in person and gain firsthand insight on the South Korean market,” said Her Excellency Pengiran Hjh Nooriyah.
“Looking ahead, the Embassy of Brunei Darussalam in Seoul will continue to work closely with the AKC and other stakeholders in the ROK, as well as the government and agencies of Brunei – including DARe – to provide more meaningful initiatives to strengthen the capacity of our MSMEs, towards their successful penetration into the South Korean market in the future.”
Participating businesses – who received sponsorship from AKC covering product shipment, accommodation and booth registration – said the event provided valuable feedback and market validation for them to incorporate as they look to fulfill their export aspirations.
Natural food and health supplement producer Bruhouse said the expo has helped restart international exposure for their halal-certified products following the pandemic.
“By participating in this trade fair, we hope to achieve our target to export our products to the South Korea market,” said Bruhouse General Manager Joseph E. Folloso.
“We’re able to better understand the needs of the international consumers in order for us to improve our branding and packaging, as well to make our products more competitive and marketable for the international distributors and importers.”
Meanwhile Mori Farm, which grows and processes organic herbs and produce, said feedback received from their fair would factor in their product development moving forward.
“We’re able to take a step forward and test market sentiment in the international arena. It gives us very valuable experience in understanding what to expect and how to improve our products coming out of Brunei to the South Korean market,” said Mori Farm founder Lim Jun Hong.
As part of its mission to enable enterprise growth, DARe is committed to helping local businesses expand beyond Brunei through developmental initiatives and assistance including strategic participation in international expos.
DARe Market Access Unit representative Nurul Hafezah Md Faisal Al-Sufri, who accompanied the delegation of Brunei businesses, said participants would continue to receive support after the event in their journey towards exporting.
“Our presence at the ASEAN Trade Fair 2022 event allowed for immediate business facilitation and negotiations between the Brunei vendors and the international exhibitors,” said Nurul Hafezah.
“It is important for us to maximize opportunities such as with the ASEAN Trade fair to create partnerships and viable, serious leads. This in turn will allow Brunei MSMEs to obtain a foothold in Asia.”
Businesses can learn of the latest programmes and opportunities offered by DARe through its website, dare.gov. bn, and social media channels @ darussalamenterprise on Facebook and Instagram.