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BioFach
América Latina / ExpoSustentat make their São Paulo début with total
success! |
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The São Paulo début of BioFach América Latina/ExpoSustentat
2006 could not have been more successful. Over 300 exhibitors occupied two
pavilions of the Transamérica Expo Center, bringing together the organic
and sustainable sectors. For 3 days, national and international speakers
divided the attention of the public, with visits to booths, 3 business
rounds and more than 50 speakers. |
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Several authorities and representatives of the organic and
sustainable sectors presided over the opening ceremony of BioFach América
Latina/ExpoSustentat 2006. From left to right at the high table: Doris
Thurau (GTZ), Peter Peters (DEG), Rosina Cordeiro Guerra (Planeta Orgânico),
Renato Galletti (Secretaria do Verde SP), Luiz Carlos Barbosa (SEBRAE),
Herta Krausmann (NurembergGlobalFairs), German Ambassador Friedrich Prot
Von Kunow, Ricardo Conceição (Banco do Brasil), Mario Mugnaini (CAMEX),
Eduardo Giannetti (FIESP), Humberto de Oliveira (Agrarian Development
Ministry), Maria Beatriz Martins Costa (Planeta Orgânico), Ingo Ploger (IP
Desenvolvimento Empresarial). |
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The
speech of Luís Carlos Guedes, Minister of Agriculture, impressed the
audience by the courage of its content.
After undertaking to send the regulations for the organic
sector to president Lula in two weeks at the most, Minister Guedes made a
statement protesting against incorrect information that is being published
internationally regarding the devastation of the Amazon region.
Minister Guedes reported that Embrapa is preparing a study, to be
published by the end of this year, showing the evolution of forest
destruction by several countries around the world. According to this
research, Brazil is the country that destroyed the least in the whole
world.
The
Minister also protested against the tariff barriers that are imposed on
Brazil, very often in the form of subsidies.
Several
of those who were present at the opening expressed their support for
Minister Guedes’ words, among them the largest producer of musk rose in
the world, Carlos Amin (Coesam) of Chile, who sent a letter to Minister
Guedes expressing his admiration. |
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Minister Guedes (right) is complimented by Carlos Amin,
of Chile, for his address during the opening ceremony. |
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Click here to listen
Minister Guedes speech at the opening ceremony of BioFach
Amérlica Latina 2006
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In
his speech, Minister Guedes praised Minister Roberto Rodrigues,
referring to him as "my brilliant predecessor". Minister Roberto
Rodrigues also visited BioFach América Latina 2006, receiving the
friendly attention of his former colleagues at the Ministry of
Agriculture’s booth. |
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According to Pedro Santiago, president of the Organic Agriculture
Sector Chamber, BioFach América Latina 2006 enabled a step to be taken
to advance the
implementing
regulations of the Brazilian Law of Organic Products. The day before
the opening of the Fair, taking advantage of the presence of many
members of the Chamber, a meeting was held in which they decided to
perfect one item of the Decree introducing the regulations, in order
to meet a requirement of Anvisa.
A few moments before the Fair was opened, Pedro Santiago informed the
Minister of Agriculture of this fact and asked for his intervention to
hasten the process. He immediately agreed, announcing it in his
speech, which was broadcast in the TV news program Jornal Nacional
on the same day, in a report on the Fair. |
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Minister Roberto Rodrigues, Maria Beatriz Costa and
Pedro Santiago at the Ministry of Agriculture’s booth |
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José
Pedro Santiago also observed that BioFach América Latina 2006 was very
productive in terms of new business, according to the opinions he heard
from the company representatives with whom he talked. |
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Quantity of organic
products offered surprises buyers; Food Sector broadens its
partnership with organics |
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National buyers from the chains Pão de Açúcar, Wal Mart,
Zona Sul and Mundo Verde, as well as the major international resellers of
organic products (Hain Celestial, Gerber, Pacific Organic), were present
at this event, taking part in the Business Rounds or prospecting for
suppliers. |
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The quantity and variety of organic products, both
fresh and processed, surprised many buyers. Progress in the innovation
of products was observed, with the launching of ice-creams, sweets
from the cerrado region, regional handicrafts, cosmetics,
diverse raw-materials, special cachaças, fine cheeses, organic
meat, and breads.
Among the pioneering companies of the Brazilian organic
sector, one of the attractions was the panettone of Sítio do Moinho
(Rio de Janeiro), which arrived just at the right time, before
Christmas. Friboi (São Paulo) brought special cuts of organic meat. At
present, Friboi is the largest Brazilian meat exporter and promises
the long awaited re-launching of its organic hamburger in a new
package. “The product has already been in the market in counters for
frozen goods for the final consumer, and is present in the Baby Burger
chain, which processes the chilled cuts of coxão duro and
picanha to produce their own pieces of minced meat”, explains the
Friboi representative, Alessandra Monteiro. The cookie factory and
grain processor Jasmine, of Curitiba, also made an advance
presentation at the fair: an organic soy drink, different from those
already in the market, which are made from conventional soy.
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The
exhibitors also commented on the number of new buyers related to the
food sector, such as restaurants, bakers, hotels and stores. |
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The Organic Cyber Cafe, set up for the first time at
BioFach América, was a much sought-after meeting point.
The juices brought by Clube Chocolate – the first
certified organic restaurant (at Rua Oscar Freire) and snack bar (in
the Iguatemi Shopping Mall) – were very popular, as were the delicious
items offered by Empório Siriuba (in Alameda Franca), which belongs to
the partners Cenia Salles and Sylvia Stickel, who are pioneers in
organic nutrition in São Paulo. |
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Business Rounds generate more than 400 business
meetings at
BioFach América Latina and ExpoSustentat |
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The
Business Rounds organized by Sebrae, Apex/Organics Brasil and
ExpoSustentat created new opportunities for entrepreneurs and
producers at BioFach América Latina and ExpoSustentat. In the opinion
of Jorge Eduardo Antunes da Silva, of the Mundo Verde store chain,
which has just opened two new stores in São Paulo (at Pinheiros and
Morumbi), BioFach América Latina continues to be the largest
disseminator of organic products in the country. “And
Sebrae’s business rounds have been very useful for
buyers like us”, declared Jorge Antunes da Silva. |
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APEX/Organics Brasil
Business Round brings great international buyers |
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The Round organized by the Organics Brasil Project /
Apex generated three million Dollars worth of short-term business, and
chances for medium-term projects that can create new opportunities for
exports and investments. The following companies were present as
importers: |
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One
of the largest baby-food traders in the world, taking part for the
first time in an organic products fair in Latin America.
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Distributes fruits and vegetables to over 60 countries, a leader in
the supply of fruit and vegetables to supermarkets and wholesalers. |
One
of the major traders in organic fruits in the United States, seeking
to develop partnerships with producers, working with the production
chain. |
With interests in sugar, soy and dehydrated fruits. The company
operates with several kinds of organic ingredients, which are stored
in the USA and in Canada. |
A
Florida-based company with interests in sugar and rice, currently one
of the major traders in these products in the country, through the
Domino Foods brand. |
(Germany)
operates in the market for ecological products, offering its
partners consulting services, processing, packaging and all phases
of product distribution. |
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37 companies take part in the
Organics Brasil project, with 44 different products. The most recent
business, and that with the greatest repercussions in the second half
of 2006, was the inclusion of seven companies with 21 products to be
sold in the American chain, Whole Foods. Initially, this will involve
24 stores on the West Coast. All the products will carry their own
brands, and they will be sold in a space identified as Brazilian. |
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The
representative of the distributing company in the USA, Jacqueline Gracie,
took part in the business rounds at BioFach América Latina, registering
potential suppliers for the chain
Among the results obtained in the rounds, Gerber, for example, is taking
part in visits to fruit producers in the Petrolina region. Mack Multiples
visited banana producers in Minas Gerais, with opportunities for immediate
exports. Florida Crystals indicates opportunities for importing organic
rice from the North-West of the State of Rio de Janeiro, with a project
that could generate significant social development in the region. |
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In
the Sustentat Round, the first to be carried out in the sphere of
ExpoSustentat, importers such as the Dutch company Corolux were
present.
The
meetings with this company also involved the Ibraf (Brazilian Fruit
Institute) and CODEVASF, which coordinated the offers that were
generated.
From
the domestic market, manipulation pharmacies
and the Zona Sul supermarket chain, one of the largest in Rio de
Janeiro, had meetings with representatives of SUFRAMA, the North-East/Cerrado
Room and the Amazon Room. Extraction products and exotic fruits were
among the items offered. |
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The Amazon Room at ExpoSustentat 2006 |
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The North-East & Cerrado Room at ExpoSustentat 2006 |
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While the Amazon Room consolidated its position as a business
space for this region of Brazil, attracting national and
international buyers, the North-East
& Cerrado Room made its debut at ExpoSustentat with total energy
and motivation among the partners involved. A meeting in Petrolina
has already been scheduled to analyze the results and to plan
actions for 2007.
The Business Rounds will be repeated next year and are to be
broadened with the presence of importers from different countries
and new stores that operate in the Brazilian retail segment. |
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APEX Chairman Juan
Quirós visits BioFach América Latina / ExpoSustentat and, during the
Seminar, invites buyers to support an organic fruit-growing project |
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After attending the presentations given by buyers, and observing
their interest in organic fruit, Juan Quirós proposed that they
should take part in an organic fruit-growing project. |
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Click here in order to learn more about the
APEX/Organics Brasil Seminar
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Sebrae
gives support to over three thousand organic producers in the country
Sebrae-SP supports the participation of small companies in BioFach
América Latina |
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At
BioFach América Latina, Sebrae organized a business round which
resulted in deals amounting to over 2.2 million Reals. Companies such
as the natural store chain Mundo Verde, Pão de Açúcar supermarkets,
Casa Santa Luzia, and Bramil, as well as São Paulo restaurants, were
among the buyers participating in the round. |
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Luiz Carlos
Barbosa |
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Luiz Carlos Barbosa, Technical Director of the national Sebrae,
said: “When one visits this fair, it is clearly noticeable how
this segment is growing in Brazil. Producers have perceived an
important market niche that differentiates products"
Sebrae participated in BioFach América Latina 2006 with a booth
exhibiting products of 45 organic companies and producers. |
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Aristóteles Abreu Filho, of Sebrae, is visited by Juan
Quirós,
at the Sebrae booth |
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Click here to learn more about SEBRAE and SEBRAE-SP
actions
at BioFach América Latina 2006
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An agreement for the
production of biodiesel from organic raw material is signed at BioFach
América
Latina |
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Among
the highlights that called the attention of the public at BioFach
América Latina was the initiative of the company Korin, because of its
partnership with Soyminas in the pioneering production of a type of
Biodiesel from organic raw material, based on oil-bearing plants grown
in an environmentally correct manner. The technological collaboration
agreement was signed during BioFach América Latina, on October 27. Dr.
Fernando Augusto de Souza signed on behalf of Korin and Dr. Nélio
Zanardi Pêra Jr. on behalf of Soyminas Biodiesel. |
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According to
Dr. Fernando Augusto de Souza,
Biodiesel production in Brazil should occupy a plantation area greater
than that of countries such as Holland, for example. That is why there is
a logical concern about what environmental impacts might result from a
wrong choice of the production technique. He believes that, as a
consequence, there may be a great opportunity for organic products.
"Nevertheless, consideration should be given to the enormous volume of
bagasse generated from seeds crushed in the oil extraction process,
creating a considerable environmental liability. Korin has presented a
technical solution, with the use of Bokashi for the fermentation of this
organic biomass, transforming it into a very high-quality organic
fertilizer, which should return to the soil as a main organic raw material
for sustainable production."
Fernando said. |
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Organic
ice-cream from Rio de Janeiro |
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Ice-creams and frozen cakes prepared with organic products. La
Glacerie, a company in Rio de Janeiro, entered this segment two years
ago in order to attend the request of a rabbi who wanted to have
'kosher' products, the definition given to foods prepared according to
Jewish laws. Antônio and Mônica Paciello, brother and sister and
partners in the company, accepted the request; and, to their surprise,
they were able to increase their clientele and win new sales points
with this new line of products. |
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Small producers sell
edible flower |
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The Associação de Produtores de Petrópolis (Petrópolis
Producers Association) - affiliated to Abio, the Associação de
Agricultura Biológica (Biological Agriculture Association) of
Rio de Janeiro - comprises about 20 producers and sells their
products to the company Vida Sustentável. Among their products is
the capuchinha, a flower which is abundant in the region
and is much appreciated by the great chefs as an ingredient in
salads. It is rich in lutein, according to research carried out at
Unicamp.
When consumed moderately, the capuchinha may help
to prevent serious eye diseases, such as macular degeneration and
cataract. |
“The product is sold in small trays to supermarkets and
restaurants. They only sell to the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Participation in the fair is precisely to open new markets”, says
Cristina Ribeiro, president of Abio.
In addition to the edible flowers, the Association also produces
palm-heart carpaccio, another novelty at the fair. Cut into thin
slices and distributed in trays, the product looks like small
slices of mozzarella cheese. |
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Capuchinha |
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BioFach América Latina Gastronomic Workshops
bring
chefs and public together |
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The Gastronomic Workshops at BioFach América Latina were excellent,
both in the public’s opinion and in that of the chefs themselves.
The
chefs Tatiana Cardoso, from the ‘Moinho de Pedra’ restaurant, Carla
Pernambuco and Claudia Visoni of ‘Carlota’, Flavia Quaresma of
‘Carême’ (RJ), Cenia Salles of ‘Empório Siriuba’ and João Belezia of
the caterer ‘Belezia’ participated in the workshops.
According to one of the Workshop participants, this is an opportunity
to have a close look at how the
chefs work and why they prefer organic products. |
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Carla Pernambuco, together with Cláudia Visoni, opened the series of
workshops, speaking about responsible cooking. “We are taking from
Nature more than its capacity for replacement, and many ecological
crimes are committed in order to feed the 6.5 billion or more people
that inhabit the planet,” said Carla. Among these ecological crimes,
Carla called attention to excessive fishing, which has been reducing
both the amount and the diversity of marine populations.
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Cláudia Visoni and Carla Pernambuco |
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Brazil has 145 species of fish under threat of
extinction. Exaggerated extraction of some food products, such as
caviar and the very Brazilian juçara palm hearts, is placing
these species too under the risk of extinction.
Everyone brought delicious recipes to the event. |
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The
chef João Belezia, in addition to participating in the Gastronomic
Workshops, was responsible for the delicious happy-hour buffet – an
opportunity for socialization, held at the end of the day on October
25.
João
Belezia recently took part in the inaugural class held at the SESC
Gastronomy Faculty, when he reminded students of the faculty that
organic products can and should be tasty.
Also
at the Organic & Gastronomy Seminar held at the FIESP, João was
responsible for the buffet. |
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