Big Picture: March 2021

3-10-2021

Bernadette Wiltz-Lang, SUSTA

Events in all Shapes and Sizes
Virtual, In-person and Hybrid Events are on the Calendar

We have some exciting news! The Gulfood Show in Dubai was live last month, with buyers from 156 countries and, most importantly, SUSTA companies exhibiting. From the feedback we received, the whole show environment was still a bit challenging, but we’re happy to share that our exhibitors reported initial sales! Gulfood is always one of the biggest activities – both in terms of sales value and number of companies making sales - under SUSTA’s Global Events program each year and we are thrilled that this year’s event was a positive step down the path to toward more normal times.

Looking back at results from 2019, pre-pandemic, two other top performing shows are SIAL China and Fruit Logistica in Europe. Fruit Logistica always ranks high in the number of companies making sales and SIAL China ranks near the top for first time export sales.SUSTA is pleased to offer a hybrid live/virtual option for both shows this year.

For SIAL China, both the in-person and virtual exhibitions include pre-arranged one-on-one meetings with potential buyers, interpretation or translation services and a market brief on China. The Fruit Logistica show features a Virtual Market Place this year, which includes digital space for your company and product information and access to a networking and business matchmaking platform. Check out your MySUSTA account; registration is open for only a few more days this month for these May 2021 activities.

Another key activity on the books to take place live is the inbound trade mission to the America’s Food and Beverage Show in Miami in September. We’ll have buyers’ groups from Taiwan, Brazil and South Africa at the show.

Speaking of South Africa, I’m please to announce our new in-country consultants in that market, Africa House. The team there has years of experience in market development, strategy implementation and support services for international exporters targeting South Africa market. We’re glad to have them on board.

South Africa is an emerging market, with a large middle class and dynamic food retail sector. Top imports from the U.S. match well with products offered by SUSTA companies; prepared food, condiments and sauces, processed fruit, confectionery products and tree nuts. We look forward to having our newest in-country marketing consultant help guide our South Africa Value Added Initiative.Please contact SUSTA if you have an interest or want to learn more about the South African market.

Finally, we have another new initiative in an up and coming market – Poland. This fall we’ll host a virtual trade mission and product showcase where your products will be displayed at the Horeca Show in Krakow. Poland is the largest food and beverage market in Central Europe and the Horeca show attracts more than 15,000 visitors.

It’s been a rocky road to recovery but we’re well on the journey. We have some exciting new target markets, in-person events, and continuing to adapt with the flexibility of some new hybrid options which offers you the opportunity not to have to sit on the sidelines as these key markets start reopening and events start taking place.

All events are up on our website: www.susta.org/events