More Coffee Export Deals Eyed at IFEX Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine coffee is being positioned for a bigger role in export trade at IFEX Philippines, the country’s biggest international food show, currently held today until May 21 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila (WTCMM) and the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC).

According to Leandro Gazmin, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Agriculture-Agribusiness and Marketing Services (DA-AMAS), IFEX Philippines will serve as a platform to streamline the goals of the Philippine Coffee Industry Road Map (PCIR) 2017-2022.

Recently signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last March, the roadmap serves as the country’s coffee industry guide to achieve a more competitive, profitable and sustainable growth, contributing to improving national food security measures and poverty alleviation.

“We want to showcase coffee here at IFEX Philippines 2017. The coffee pavilion will demonstrate the value-chain of coffee from bean to brew. Through IFEX, we would like to promote trade and position the Philippines as one of the sources of the best coffee,” says Asec. Gazmin.

“Roadmaps are vital instruments to provide direction to the industry stakeholders to move the industry forward. Roadmaps assess the current industry situation, identifies critical key result areas which have to be addressed to meet its short term and long term goals of developing the industry. Crafting of these roadmaps is stakeholders-led and thus participation and collaboration of both government and the private sector are promoted,” adds Gazmin.

According to the roadmap, the Philippine coffee industry intends to export 214,626 metric tons of green coffee by 2022. Should the goal be met, the Philippines would have surplus coffee available for export.

“From being a significant player, we are now a minor player in Southeast Asia. But the huge potential of Philippine coffee cannot be understated especially for specialty coffee. Our coffee has distinct flavor and aroma. In fact, based on a study, the Philippine beans is said to be competitive with imports from Viet Nam and Indonesia. Coupled with the right intervention, Philippine coffee has a bright future,” explained Gazmin.

The Philippines is one of the few countries in the world producing the four coffee varieties: Arabica, Robusta, Liberica and Excelsa. Local coffee farmers have evolved from subsistent farmers to entrepreneurs through the active support from coffee organizations pushing coffee for a more sustainable enterprise. Coffee farmers are continuously adopting environment-friendly technologies and are intensifying their efforts to comply market standards.

--

IFEX Philippines is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's ethnic and specialty food, tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products.

It is one of the official business events in the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) Summit. The three-day event is organized by DTI-CITEM, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP), which is chaired by DTI.

Monde Nissin to Make Favorite Dishes Healthier at Summit of Flavors @ IFEX Kitchen

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Philippine food industry giant Monde Nissin Corporation is bringing a healthier and tastier twist to international delicacies in its participation at the Summit of Flavors @ IFEX KITCHEN, a special event featuring cooking demonstrations by local and international celebrity chefs at the IFEX Philippines event slated on May 19-21 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila and the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.

On May 21, Monde Nissin will feature Quorn, a range of meat-free protein products that makes just about any type of food healthier without compromising its taste. Quorn’s main ingredient is Mycroprotein, a naturally healthy protein from nutritious fungus that is meat-free and non-GMO. It is low in saturated fat and calories, high in protein and fiber, and has zero cholesterol.

Quorn made healthier Monde Nissin’s array of delicacies like the Mushroom Stroganoff, a rich and creamy vegetarian version of the Russian specialty made with mushrooms and Quorn Chunks. It is great for either rice or pasta, and is perfect for the whole family.

The company will also prepare Quorn Greek Style Salad, a healthy and low fat salad recipe with fresh herbs, olives, and avocado served with a vinaigrette dressing, and Chili con Quorn™, a delicious Mexican meat sauce that combines Quorn™ Grounds, beans, and a rich, spicy tomato sauce.

Monde Nissin will also revamp the classic Filipino curry dish with Quorn Chunks simmered in an aromatic curry sauce and thickened with coconut cream.

Preparing this mouthwatering dishes at the Monde Nissin booth will be Chef Heart Alikpala, Research and Development Chef at the company.

Also showcasing their products at the event are Magic Melt Foods Inc., Nutri-Asia Inc., and GEMS Inc. CCI France-Philippines will also be presenting some products and its own chef from the Society Lounge and Tauro Pintxos Wine Bar & Grill.

The IFEX KITCHEN is located at The MarketPlace at the main hall of the Philippine Trade Training Center.

IFEX PHL Banners Country’s Top Agri-Export on May 19-21 Show

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines top agricultural export products will be among the highlights of the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) Philippines to be held on May 19–21, 2017 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila and the Philippine Trade and Training Center, Pasay City.

In line with its efforts to promote the country’s food commodities to the international market, IFEX Philippines will have special highlights on coffee, cacao, coconut, and fruit and nut products as part of the Food Industry Cluster under the Food Artisans Village. Each pavilion site will showcase the Philippines’ high-demand export commodities in numerous varieties and cultivars.

“Through IFEX Philippines, we hope to close new deals and partnerships with our extensive list of international buyers, a majority of which are new comers to the event,” said CITEM Executive Director, Clayton Tugonon. “We are showcasing only the best in IFEX Philippines and buyers can expect to see the finest agricultural products the Philippines has to offer.”

Agro-based products contributed to 6.1% of the share of the Philippine’s export in the first half of 2016, amounting to a $291.5 million in sales. Coconut products lead the country’s agricultural exports with 34% share to total agricultural exports, closing off the last quarter of 2016 with a total of $487.3 million.

The Philippines is a major producer of tropical fruits, exporting more than 744,000 metric tons of homegrown products in the fourth quarter of 2016. Bananas ranked second in the total agricultural exports with a share of 12% and sales of $172.6 in 2016. Pineapples follow right after at 10.7% with $153.7 million in sales.

Tuna, fourth in the overall export shares with 5.5%, recorded an increase in exports by 39.2% during the fourth quarter of 2016 from $56.58 million in 2015 to $78.76 million. Other seafood products, such as seaweeds, carrageenan, shrimps, and prawns, produced $67.54 million during the same period.

Coffee exports rose by 24.7% from $91.50 million in the fourth quarter of 2015 to $114.14 million in 2016, while cacao closed off the year with $72.16 million, an increase by almost 30%.

“There is a constant increase in the exports of our commodities and with new partnerships, such as our outstanding one with Japan, this trend will only continue within the next years,” said Tugonon. “IFEX Philippines will be our one-stop trade platform in promoting our local products and building relationship with global buyers.”

The 11th edition of IFEX Philippines will feature four major exhibition halls that will present a spectrum of flavors from across the globe.

Top and emerging Philippine exporters and business support organizations (BSOs) in the food industry will be stationed at the “Food Philippines Hall”, while the “International Hall” presents top food products and ingredients from top international companies and manufacturers.

The distinct flavors of the country’s provinces take center stage in the “Food Artisans Village”, presented by the Department of Agriculture, through the Agribusiness Marketing and Assistance Service (DA-AMAS). The Food Artisans Village includes the Commodity, Seafood, Mindanao, and Negros Occidental Pavilions.

The “MarketPlace” is a free-for-all where buyers and visitors can purchase on retail throughout the event.

IFEX will also present highly curated exhibit of product prototypes developed through the locally fabricated food machinery operated by Food Innovation Centers (FICs), under the Department of Science and Technology- Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) at the “Food Innovation Gallery”.

--

IFEX Philippines, Asia’s ethnic food & ingredients show, is the country’s biggest international trade exhibition on the Philippines’ and Asia's specialty food, with around 700 exhibitor companies, attracting wholesale buyers, importers and food distributors from all over the world.

IFEX Philippines is a fast-rising Asian marketplace where sellers of unique tropical flavors, products, innovations, and services are linked with international buyers, importers, and retailers, propelling for bigger international presence, wider variety of products, and world-class features. Categories include tropical fruits, vegetables, seafood, beverages, bakery and confectionery products, meat and poultry, Halal-certified products, as well as natural, organic, and healthy food products. It is organized in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, through its Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service (DA-AMAS), and the ASEAN Committee on Business and Investment Promotion (CBIP), which is chaired by DTI.