US-based Food Group in IFEX PHL

US-based food association sees potential in Philippine export products

 

Officers of the US-based Asian Food Trade Association (AFTA) expressed their belief that Philippine export products are more than ready to tap into the US food market during their visit to the 9^th International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines.

 

“It’s really important that the Philippines understands its great potential. May be you see a rock, but in our eyes we see diamonds right here,” AFTA President Damon Chu said during a meeting with the officials of the Center for International Trade Exposition and Missions (CITEM) at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines on 17 May 2013.

 

Chu also pointed out that Philippine products suit the discriminating palates of US-based Asians and Hispanics, especially the all-natural sauces and coconut-based desserts such as buco pandan and buco salad. Local food exporters could also benefit from the current campaign of US First Lady Michelle Obama against obesity as Philippine food exports are mostly organic and all-natural.

 

The AFTA delegation is in consensus that with more push and a more aggressive marketing approach, the Philippines can break into the vast and demanding US food market. They also emphasized the importance of having the country’s food exports certified for hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), to meet the US Food and Drug Administration regulations.

 

Officials of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) headed by Executive Director Rosvi Gaetos (4th from left) met with the officers of the US-based Asian Food Trade Association (AFTA) headed by Mr. Damon Chu (5th from left) to discuss how the Philippines can tap the Asian-American food market during the 9th IFEX Philippines on 17 May 2013 at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

For the first day of IFEX, the AFTA delegation has already ordered 50 container loads of goods from Filipino exhibitors and has promised to bring more of its members in the next IFEX Philippines in 2015.
 

AFTA has 200 members and caters to both the food service industry covering 5,000 Chinese restaurants and the food distribution sector that includes 1,500 supermarkets and retail stores in the West Coast.

 

Coordinated by Philippine Trade and Investment Center – Los Angeles Trade Representative Archie C. Gomez with Chu, the AFTA delegation is composed of key food sourcing companies in the West Coast that include Wing Choi, President of Sun Hing Foods; Jacklyn Sher, President of HC Foods, Inc.; James Tsai of Hocean Inc. and the founder of AFTA; Jimmy Kwang, President of Chevalier International, Inc.; Mike Ongchi of V8 Commercial Co., Inc.; and Sugi Suherman of Agiloc International Inc.

 

Chevalier International Trading, Giant Union Co., HC Foods, Inc., Hocean Inc., Sun Hing Foods, and V8 Commercial Co., Inc. are food importing companies in search of new products they can introduce to the Asian community in the United States. Joining them is Agiloc International Inc., a customs brokerage company that can handle custom clearance of import shipments on all US ports.

 

Consumers in the US spend approximately US$1 trillion annually on food or nearly 10 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

 

“This is a very promising start. Once we are able to get a slice of the huge US food market, our worry will be how to meet the demand,” CITEM Executive Director Rosvi C. Gaetos said.

 

IFEX Philippines 2013 is the biggest food sourcing hub in the country and is the gateway of foreign businessmen to the vast Asian food market. It is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and co-organized by the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS).

 

For more information about the show, visit www.ifexphilippines.com.

Words: CITEM Marcom, Honeyleen Novilla