Meco hits $8-M sales goal at Taipei food show

By Jojo Perez

OFFICIALS of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) announced Thursday that Taiwanese food importers are negotiating orders worth a record-smashing $8 million from the 13 Philippine exporters that participated in the annual Taipei International Food Show last month.

Antonio Basilio, Meco managing director and resident representative, said Food Taipei has surpassed Meco’s best expectations in many ways.

“We were hoping to double our food exhibitors’ sales this year, and we believe we’re going to do just that.  We are also upbeat about our exporters’ postfair business since demand for the Philippines’ quality fruits, sauces and mixes, coffee and confectionery is on the rise in Taiwan,” said Basilio.

In 2007 Philippine food companies captured $4.1 million worth of orders during the annual Taipei event, or up 59.53 percent compared with the previous year’s $2.57 million in turnover.

The Philippine contingent to the trade show last month was comprised of DOLE Asia Ltd., RFM Corp., Lucky Fortune Foods Corp., Dealo Koffee Klatch, Primex Coco Products, Pangasinan Tropical Fruits, Nattural Quality Corp., Moondish Foods Corp., Moonbake Inc., MCT Food Inc., Pro Source, Appenzell Inc. and Basilan Countryside Development Multipurpose Cooperative.

Initial reports prepared by Bernardita Mathay-Angara and Nicanor Bautista, Meco  director and deputy director for commercial affairs, respectively, cited that the 13 companies received bookings for $1.3 million worth of orders at Food Taipei.  Another $6.7 million worth of orders are still under negotiation.

The reports also cited that DOLE Asia Ltd. “reported only its volume sales, and avoided disclosing actual figures.”

Among the products that were successfully booked are coconut products, juices, pastas, virgin coconut oil, food supplements and cocoa tablets, fresh fruits and vegetables, dried fruits, fortune cookies, apas (cones), broas (cookies), ampalaya-based health supplements (bitter gourd-based supplements), banana chips, bagoong (fermented shrimp or fish paste), ice cream, broth cubes, pancit noodles and coffee beans, the reports cited.

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Meco hits $8-M sales goal at Taipei food show

OFFICIALS of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) announced Thursday that Taiwanese food importers are negotiating orders worth a record-smashing $8 million from the 13 Philippine exporters that participated in the annual Taipei International Food Show last month.

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