SA companies set to make mark at top Paris expo
SOUTH African companies are preparing to make a good impression at the Sial Paris International Food Products Exhibition in France later this month.
Twenty-six companies producing processed foods, non-alcoholic beverages, preserved foods, spices, soups, deep-frozen products, health and organic products, sweets, seafood and gourmet food products will participate in the exhibition from October 15-19.
The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) has set up a South African National Pavilion in which the companies will be showcasing their products and services. Sial Paris is regarded as the world's leading exhibition network with unrivalled geographic coverage of Europe and the rest of the world.
The Managing Director of House of Natural Butter based in Cape Town, Debra Ncube said her groundwork before departing for France was already bearing fruits as she has managed to set up meetings with at least three distributors to market her products, which comprise peanut, macadamia and almond butter.
“Our main objective is to strike deals during or after the exhibition that will enable us to penetrate the European market.
“We are confident that our highvalue agro-processing products will attract the attention of the distributors, particularly the macadamia butter. South Africa is trending as the hub of highly valued macadamia products and we are hoping to ride on the crest of that wave,” Ncube said.
The owner of Stellenbosch-based
Spicy Bulldog food company, David Stephens said he was looking forward to their first international exhibition.
“My products, which consist of wholegrain mustard, chutney and chilli sauce, have been shipped to France already. My mission is to find importers in Paris so that I can export my products to Europe. I am optimistic that I will succeed. I am already making arrangements with the local production facilities that I can make use of to increase my production,” Stephens added.
Sial Paris will be the first international exhibition experience for Thabisile Danisa, the Managing Director of Incasa Foods, a Durban-based condiments and sauces producing company. Part of her preparations for Sial has been upgrading her production factory,” said Danisa.