Anxious to boost their export opportunities, more Egyptian food companies seek to participate at international food fairs, Sherine El-Madany reports Egyptian food and beverage companies are poised to boost their exports to the EU by taking part in Anuga, the world's largest food and beverage trade fair, to be hosted in Cologne, Germany next October. At a seminar held in Cairo last week, Peter Grothues, vice president of the food sector at Koelnmesse, a participating company at Anuga's trade fair, said, "Anuga's international event opens up promising export opportunities for participant companies and helps them discover new sales potential around the world." Organised by an EU- funded project which is managed by the Industrial Modernisation Centre, in collaboration with the Food Commodity Council and the Chamber of Food Industry and the Egyptian Exporters Association (EXPO Link), the seminar aimed to increase the number of Egyptian companies participating in the 28-year-old biennial fair. "Anuga 2003 witnessed a remarkable presence of exhibitors from the Middle East and North Africa with more than 50 companies coming from Egypt. Therefore, we decided to focus more on the region and be closer to our customers. We are hoping to recruit 60 Egyptian companies this year," remarked Grothues. He added that tourism has played an important role in increasing the popularity of Egyptian cuisine worldwide, especially in Europe. "Europeans have become more open for new taste; and thus, Anuga provides an effective stage for exhibitors to increase their export capacity," he explained. According to Safwan Thabet, chairman of the Chamber of Food Industry, the most desirable Egyptian food exports are olive oil, pickles, and juices. "We also need to increase our exports of roomy and domyati cheese and halawa, as they are exclusive to our cuisine," he added. Aiming to meet the needs of exhibitors and visitors alike, Anuga showcases a variety of food and beverages including frozen food, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, baked goods and various types of beverages. The most up-to-date technology and services in catering and retail are also included. Furthermore, Anuga has introduced new trends and innovations such as organic products, non-prescription medications and dietary supplements. Anuga 2005 will see the addition of health and functional foods like halal, kosher and vegetarian products. Koelnmesse, in cooperation with the German Arab Chamber of Commerce, will handle location and shipping details, sales and advertising. "That way, exhibitors will take advantage of Anuga's innovative capacity, continuity, expertise, and huge media impact," Grothues said.
