“THE turnout of over 25,000 visitors was testament to the immense appeal and potential of the trade show.
It provided an invaluable platform for Pacific businesses to bolster their brand visibility and foster direct buyer connections in the Australian market,” said Jeremy Grennell, PTI Australia’s general manager of Exports.
Fine Food Australia 2023, the southern hemisphere’s premier trade exhibition for the Food, Hospitality and Retail sectors, held from September 11 to 14, celebrated a successful culmination with a distinctive Pacific flavour.
PTI Australia: Success at Fine Food Australia 2023 with Pacific Tastes Taking Centre Stage.
Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia’s ‘Pacific Showcase’ stand was a particular highlight.
Among the participants were eight distinguished producers, including Papua New Guinea’s Devine Management Services, and Frangipani Foods; Fiji’s Nama Cuisine, Fiji Kava, Green Gold Kava, and Pacific Premium; alongside Solomon Islands’ SolTuna, and Kokonut Pacific Solomon Islands.
POSITIVE RESPONSE
Reflecting on the event’s success, Jeremy Grennell, PTI Australia’s general manager of Exports, noted the overwhelmingly positive response from both participants and attendees:
“The turnout of over 25,000 visitors was testament to the immense appeal and potential of the trade show.
It provided an invaluable platform for Pacific businesses to bolster their brand visibility and foster direct buyer connections in the Australian market.
“Fine Food Australia provided a stage for Pacific producers to not only showcase their products, but also to build enduring strategic relationships.
Their direct engagements with international buyers underscored the intrinsic value and distinctiveness of their products, paving the way for amplified market reach and business growth.”
Boasting more than 1000 exhibitors, the trade show, which alternates between Sydney and Melbourne each September, unveiled a plethora of new and groundbreaking products from Australia and over 45 international countries.
The event also featured engaging live demonstrations, masterclasses and industry-acclaimed competitions.
FANTASTIC EXPERIENCE
Ajay Singh, importer and distributor for Green Gold Kava in Sydney, reflected on Green Gold’s participation with pride:
“It’s been a fantastic experience. This year we received an overwhelming response from businesses and consumers, and a lot of curiosity.
Many were eager to understand kava, not just from its traditional roots, but also the benefits it can offer, like aiding stress and promoting good sleep.
“We distributed about 80 to 100 samples daily, and really aimed to educate the market while forging significant connections with both retailers and consumers.
Overall, the event was an invaluable experience.” This year marked the 10th consecutive year that PTI Australia championed the Pacific Showcase at the Fine Food Australia trade exhibition.
Founded in 1979, PTI Australia is an agency of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. Funded by the Australian government, it facilitates trade and investment in the Pacific Islands.
“As the coffee culture in China continues to thrive, PTI China remains at the forefront of promoting the flavours of our pacific coffees, ensuring that we remain an integral part of this exciting and evolving market.” – Mona Mato, Trade Commissioner of PTI China
CHINA has always been traditionally known as a tea-drinking society, but the coffee market in China is now showing strong traction as China gradually opens up key industries of consumer interest given its strategy to expand business opportunities globally.
Local and international coffee brands and shops are now springing up in China’s major cities, with the younger generation not just merely sipping away on their fancily made coffees, but also embracing coffees and cafes as a lifestyle choice.
China’s growing appetite for coffee has made it an attractive market for international coffee producers and exporters.
Not limited to coffee beans from China’s domestic growing regions, boutique coffee beans from premium international origins are also becoming consumers’ preferred choice.
GROWING APPETITE
In light of this flourishing trend, Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) China launched a market development support package aimed at supporting the Papua New Guinea (PNG) coffee industry on an exploratory mission to the Chinese coffee market, to gain market insights and build a network of buyers to ensure buyer confidence and business sustainability.
Simultaneously, PTI China facilitated a PNG coffee export enterprise to collaborate with Chinese coffee farmers, exporters and processors, considering the needs of the Chinese market from various perspectives, drawing on advanced experience, and identifying supply sources of quality coffee machines for wet and dry mills, to build on capacity.
This has not only enhanced business confidence, but also led to an impressive A$0.8 million export deal within six months.
In addition to market exploration and gauging of market interest for PNG coffee, PTI China was also involved in meeting China’s import regulations.
PTI China’s export manager, Yolanda Jiang, provided a facilitative role between PNG’s Coffee Industry Corporation (CIC), as the local competent authority for coffee, and the General Administration of Customs China (GACC).
This work involved ensuring relevant documentation and registration processes were completed to meet all import standards and protocols.
The PNG CIC Export Office acknowledged the efforts:
“With this facilitation role by PTI China, a total of 16 exporters were granted market access by GACC and are now able to formally export their coffee beans to China, a milestone reached since June 2023.
PNG COFFEE
“It means a lot to our coffee exporters and the PNG Coffee Industry as a whole. At last, we can now access the China Market. We sincerely thank the PTI China Office as we continue to work together to promote our PNG coffee.”
Over the years, PTI China has continued to promote PNG coffee through various platforms, to raise awareness among Chinese consumers.
PTI China featured PNG coffee brands at three major trade shows across China in the last few months, effectively generating valuable business leads and opportunities for coffee products.
We invited an PNG coffee exporter to be present at the China Small–Medium Enterprises (SMEs) International Fair, offering freshly brewed coffee and inviting exporters, investors and other professionals for cup testing and promotion.
Co-operating with the media, we arranged a livestream as the most popular format to showcase the uniqueness of PNG coffee and its diverse flavour profiles, attracting over 110,000 views and sparking widespread interest.
Mona Mato, Trade Commissioner of PTI China said in the interview while the expo, “As the coffee culture in China continues to thrive, PTI China remains at the forefront of promoting the flavours of our pacific coffees, ensuring that we remain an integral part of this exciting and evolving market.”
For more information, please contact Yolanda Jiang, Export Manager of PTI China at yolanda.jiang@pacifictradeinvest.org.cn.
FROM September 11 to 12, 2023, the iconic London Olympia exhibition building came alive, playing host to the Speciality Fine Foods Fair (SFFF).
At the heart of this vibrant event were five unique Pacific Island businesses, handpicked for the ITC’s UKTP (United Kingdom Trade Partnerships Programme) and supported by Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Europe.
As they unveiled their diverse range of products, independent retailers, eager for fresh innovations, found the Olympia’s grandeur to be the perfect stage for discovery.
EUROPE
The five Pacific businesses on display included Fiji’s Down to Earth, Fiji Ginger, and Renadi Red Shoots; Frangipani Foods from Papua New Guinea; and Wilex from Samoa.
All Pacific business brought forth an impressive array of products, including those made from ginger, turmeric, and chilli from Fiji; to noni from Samoa; and galip nuts from Papua New Guinea.
PTI Europe Trade Commissioner, Jodie Stewart, commented on the exceptional dedication and adaptability of Pacific entrepreneurs at the SFFF.
“Creating these retail-ready items to world-class standards is a feat in itself, especially when considering the challenges tied to packaging, labelling, certification and the logistics of accessing a far-off market.
Their resilience and fervour, even against the trials of jet lag, epitomised the true spirit of entrepreneurship.
“Given the preferences of these independent retailers, there’s a strong focus on sourcing unique products, but ordering in smaller quantities at a time.
This market tendency underscores the crucial role distributors play in connecting Pacific producers with the wider UK market.”
CHALLENGE
Down to Earth, one of the Pacific businesses in attendance, introduced their ‘Fiji Fire’ range of sauces. Crafted with care in their manufacturing plant just outside of Suva, Fiji, each jar is a unique blend, bursting with bongo chillis and other local exotic ingredients.
Co-owners Sam Campbell and Gauthier Mescam, seasoned in global distribution, know too well the intricacies of introducing their sauces to discerning consumers and the competitive grocery store aisles.
“The primary challenge for us was navigating the distribution maze, a journey that led us to partner with a distributor attuned to chilli sauces.
This tenacity paid off, mirroring the success of two other Pacific ventures that also secured distribution deals during the Fair’s lead-up and event,” Campbell shared.
Reflecting on their stint at the London SFFF, Campbell emphasised its value.
“Participating in the Speciality Fine Foods Fair in London marked a pivotal moment for us.
Our enthusiasm about our UK debut, and further expansion into the EU, is mounting.
Having our production manager, Saimoni Rokotunidau Tuiekubu, on board and witnessing direct feedback from retailers was transformative.
It reinforced our notion that British tastebuds indeed appreciate the distinct kick of bongo chilli.
Roko is now eager to drive new product innovations back in Fiji, and we’re set on partnering with PTI Europe for our next growth stage in this arena.”
For Pacific food brands, the road to success is often fraught with challenges. However, with an apt product-market fit, bolstered by determination and ingenuity, companies such as Down to Earth serve as testament to what can be achieved.
PTI Europe remains steadfast in championing these hardworking enterprises and expresses deep gratitude to UK Aid for their invaluable support, enabling Pacific businesses to be part of this momentous occasion.
For more insights into Pacific products in the European market, reach out to PTI Europe Trade Commissioner, Jodie Stewart, at jodie@pacifictradeinvest.com.
