SEVENTEEN local companies are taking center stage in the FoodPhilippines exhibit for the 28th Taipei International Food Show (TIFS) 2018, popularly known as Food Taipei, on June 27 to 30, at the Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Taipei City, Taiwan.
Organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Food Taipei is considered one of Asia’s leading food shows that links the entire food industry supply chain in Taiwan, other countries and economies—from agriculture and aquaculture, refrigeration, processed food, food machinery, packaging and packaging equipment.
The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-Citem), is bringing the 17 Philippine companies to Food Taipei as it strengthens the promotion of the country’s top homegrown products and agricommodities in Taiwan.
“We are proud to have 17 local companies as part of the Philippine delegation that will feature our local products in Taiwan, known as one of the most diverse food markets in Asia,” said Nora K. Terrado, DTI undersecretary for Trade and Investments Promotion Group and Citem officer in charge.
Food Taipei 2018 visitor profile includes importers, wholesalers, distributors, hotel owners and representatives, restaurant and bakery owners and online retailers from major markets, such as China, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the United States and Singapore.
“We have high hopes for this year’s participation as it is the biggest Philippine delegation yet since the country started participating in Food Taipei,” Terrado said. “Twelve of the companies are also participating in the event for the first time so Taiwanese and other international buyers in the fair can expect new addition to the lineup of product selections from the Philippines.”
The 12 new local companies that will present in Food Taipei include B&C Healthy Snack Foods Inc. with their tropical fruit chewies; Century Pacific Food with their tuna and other seafood products; Destileria Limtuaco & Co. Inc. with their lineup of distinct Philippine liquors; Fabaco Trading with their natural and organic coconut products; John N’ Mico Food Products with their crispy-fried pork rinds (chicharon); and Magical Blend Marketing International with their healthy mix, such as herbal coffee with moringa and red tea mangosteen wellness juice drink.
Participating also for the first time are Marigold Manufacturing Corp. with their famous Mama Sita’s brand; MFP Home of Quality Food Corp. with their polvorons; Philippine Seawealth Food Inc. with their flavored anchovies (dilis) and squid (pusit) snacks; Super Q with their rice vermicelli (bihon) noodles; Team Asia Corp. with their virgin coconut oil products; and Vegetari Vegetarian Products with their mushroom and seaweed chicharon.
Meanwhile, five returning companies in the show include Andy Albao Corp. with their coconut products; Fruits of Life Inc. also with their famous “Lipa” coconut water brand; Raw Brown Sugar Milling Co. Inc. with their muscovado sugar; Prime Fruits International Inc. with their banana chips and other dried tropical fruits; and Year Luck Food and Industrial Corp. with their ice-cream premix and cones.
“With the promising products of these companies, we are confident in hitting our sales target and significantly contribute to the government’s campaign to generate more buyer interest for Philippine exports in Asia and other overseas markets,” Terrado said.
Last year Philippine food companies generated $23.4 million worth of export sales in the event. Sixteen firms, forming the Philippine delegation in TIFS 2017, surpassed the target sales of $22 million and exceeded the previous $21.58-million sales generated in 2016 by 8.4 percent.
For this year’s participation, DTI-Citem is eyeing bigger export sales worth $25 million from the 17 companies under the country delegation.
The food-and-drinks sector is the fifth-largest industry in Taiwan and one of the market’s fastest-growing sectors. Attendees are expected to range from local supermarkets, hypermarkets and convenience stores, as these increase the range of imported foods to meet demand.
“Aside from generating sales, we also aim to familiarize some of our local exporters in the Taiwanese market, especially now that we have many first-timers joining the Philippine delegation,” Terrado said. “This is their time to shine and to benchmark themselves so they can further improve their products and adapt to different market requirements.”
Philippine products exported to Taiwan must adhere to the requirements specified by Taiwan’s Food Safety and Sanitation Act, a new and improved food-safety system. Products entering Taiwan must comply with their requirements for quality and package labeling.
FoodPhilippines in Food Taipei is a branding initiative of CItem, the export promotion arm of the DTI together with the Manila Economic and Cultural Office. It spearheads the efforts of the government in promoting the Philippines as a source of quality food products in the global market.
This participation is undertaken in cooperation with the Export Marketing Bureau of the DTI, and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Taiwan.